Volume 4, Issue 4
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THE CRESCENT HARP OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS IN LOUISIANA VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 MARCH—MAY 2013 http://aohla.com A JUDGE AND A TANAISTE HIGHLIGHT Facebook: Louisiana State Board of THE ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION the Ancient Order of Hibernians The usual pomp and circumstance that sur- Connery. Accompanied by his wife Carol Hanney rounds the Irish-American celebration of St. Pat- Gilmore, Mr. Gilmore toured the city— rick’s Day became even grater in scope with an- especially the areas ravaged by Hurricane other visit to New Orleans by a noted dignity Katrina—laid wreaths at the Celtic Cross Monu- from the Irish government and ment and the Katrina Memorial the honoring of the chief leader Cemetery, and helped open the of the Irish-American commu- Irish-American Cultural Mu- nity in New Orleans. seum in the French Quarter. INSIDE THIS ISSUE An Tánaiste The Honorable Mr. Gilmore also found time to EDITORIAL P.2 PRESIDENT’S LETTER P.3 Eamon Gilmore, Deputy stop in at Finn McCool’s Irish PRAYER LIST P.4 Prime Minister and Minister Pub in Mid-City to meet the A HIBERNIAN REFLECTS P.5 for Foreign Affairs and Trade, patrons getting ready to cele- NO ROSE MOVES ON P.5 made a historic visit to New brate St. Patrick’s Day and to DIVISIONAL NEWS P.6 Orleans as guest of both the sample their special frozen Irish IRISH HISTORY P.7 AOH and the Irish Network- Coffee. He also attended an IN HIBERNIANS IN THE NEWS P.7 New Orleans. Mr. Gilmore -NOLA luncheon at Brennan’s PHOTO GALLERY PP.8-9 has been the Leader of the La- restaurant where he helped IRISH COMMUNITY NEWSP.10 bour Party since September honor the young men and IRISH VETERANS P.11 2007. He has represented the women recognized by the or- constituency of Dún Laoghaire ganization for their scholarly The Judge, applauded by a in Dáil Éireann since 1989, submissions on Ireland and the multitude from the McKay and firstly as a member of the Irish Culture. Mitchell clans, walked proudly Workers' Party of Ireland, As glorious as was Mr. Gil- into the grand ballroom of the later as a member of Democ- more’s visit was, he was Sheraton, leading the Hibernians ratic Left and most recently as equaled in magnificence by the alongside New Orleans a member of the Labour Party. AOH honoree, Judge James Archbishop Gregory Aymond. He served as a Minister of State McKay. Starting on Saturday A wonderful dinner and evening at the Department of the Ma- with the Irish Channel Parade, of entertainment was capped off rine from 1994 until 1997 as Judge McKay stepped proudly by a heartfelt speech from Mr. part of the "Rainbow Coali- through Uptown and the Irish Gilmore and stirring summation tion" during the Government Channel with his green derby of Hibernianism and the impor- of the 27th Dáil. In a touching moment, Mrs. Gaynell and treasured shillelagh visiting tance of the Irish and their con- Hand, widow of the late AOH Brother tributions by Judge McKay. Born in County Galway, Peter Hand, stops to greet AOH National supporters and well wishers Throughout the city on March Gilmore graduated from Uni- Vice-President and 2013 Hibernian of the and offering plenty of love to versity College Galway, be- Year Judge Jim McKay at the Irish Chan- all in the adoring crowds. 17, many people celebrated the coming President of the Union nel St. Patrick’s Day Parade. On Sunday, the AOH then spirit and faith of the Irish peo- of Students in Ireland. Later, as began its honoring of Judge ple, and the Hibernians, the IN- a trade union organizer, he entered local politics. McKay and the Apostle of Ireland, St. Patrick NOLA, and the Irish Channel He has been instrumental in leading the Labour with the traditional Mass at St. Patrick’s Church in Parade organization showed the Party to becoming the second largest party in Ire- downtown New Orleans. In the historic church people of Ireland and the people land. that for a time served as the Cathedral of New of New Orleans how it is done Mr. Gilmore was joined in his visit by Director Orleans, the Hibernians marched in solemnly be- properly. General of the Republic of Ireland Mr. Niall Bur- neath their respective division banners and cele- gess, Irish Consul Mr. Paul Gleeson, and their brated Mass together as their ancestors had assistants Miss Niamh Sweeney and Mrs. Mary done—not centuries—but millennia ago. P AGE 2 THE CRESCENT HARP EDITORIAL - THINK BEFORE YOU WRITE OR SPEAK THE CRESCENT HARP It has been said that the Irish and group among one’s readership is opinion of himself and his relative Editor-in-Chief Catholics are the last groups safe to hardly a way to cement one’s suc- importance and added to his list of John T. Browne Editorial Staff disparage and about which to make cess. forgetfulness the fact that he is sup- John D. Fitzmorris III derogatory remarks. And while one On the national stage, Ohio State posed first and foremost to represent Stanton McNeely should shun at all times inferiority President Gordon Gee recently re- education and enlightenment. Jeremy Hughes and persecution complexes, espe- signed in part as a result of com- However, there is one area that Ex-Officio cially when they really are not there, ments he made disparaging Roman need also be addressed if we are to Joseph Casler there occasionally occur such mind- Catholics at a meeting to talk about castigate both of these boorish indi- Harold Burke Mark Foley less and mean-spirited remarks that the expansion of the Big Ten Confer- viduals. Without fuel for the fire, Martin Kearney one is forced to speak up in one’s ence. The ham-handed Gee joked people like Wirt and Gee have no Ronald Burke own and one’s own group’s defense on how the University of Notre incentive or reason to act so inap- ——————————- and call out the boors and poltroons Dame would not be joining the con- propriately. The unfortunate prob- ARTICLE SUBMISSION for what they are. ference. Feeding off the crowd, the lem with stereotypes is that they VIA: Such is the case regarding a local Ohio State President joked that sometimes have in them a kernel of [email protected] [email protected] incident and another with a far more Notre Dame was never invited to truth. Please submit all photos national scope. the Big Ten because “they’re not There would never be any further via .jpeg Locally, John Wirt a reporter for very good partners,” he said. need of outrage on our part if there the New Orleans Advocate wrote a “The fathers are holy on Sunday were no further incidents surround- ARTICLE DEADLINES: review of comedian Kathy Griffin’s and they’re holy hell on the rest of ing St. Patrick’s Day that add to the November 15 February 15 recent performance at L’Auberge the week. You just can’t trust those stereotype. There would be no rea- May 15 Casino. For those not familiar with damn Catholics on a Thursday or son for such inane jokes if our local August 15 her, Griffin is known for her conver- Friday so, literally, I can say that media would stop featuring only sational style and statements on pop very truthfully.” drunken St. Patrick’s Day revelers in OUR VETERANS culture, religion and sexuality. Her Apparently, Gee seems to have a video shots and photographs. There acerbic style leaves no one or group problem with anyone other than him would be no reason for Gee and It is the VETERAN, safe from her acerbic brand of com- being successful and hard negotia- Wirt and others to offer such silli- not the preacher, edy. tors. If a second tier assistant ath- ness on their parts were there not who has given us In his piece on Griffin’s perform- letic director had made such com- the silliness of the countless t-shirt freedom of religion. ance, Wirt wrote: ments, they probably would have outlets that sell shirt with insulting “Despite her own Irish-Catholic gone by the wayside and more than Irish slogans on them...and us creat- It is the VETERAN, heritage of drunkenness, Griffin likely unnoticed. But these be- ing a demand for them. not the reporter, added that she herself does not nighted comments came from the Gee has apologized to Notre who has given us drink. But her mother, Maggie president of one of the largest uni- Dame and to the Catholic commu- freedom of the press. Griffin, is perpetually drunk versities in the nation. nity in Ohio for his remarks. For and forever dressed in a muu- Gee has had a history of making their parts, both the University of It is the VETERAN, muu, according to the comedi- off-the-cuff comments and jokes that Notre Dame and the U.S. Confer- not the poet, enne. “ have insulted people and other insti- ence of Catholic Bishops have taken who has given us freedom of speech. A comedian performing at a casino tutions. His “hail-fellow-well-met” the high road and accepted Gee’s is subject only to the rules of the attitude plays well in fundraisers at apology and stressed the necessity of It is the VETERAN, market. What he or she chooses to which he has proven very adept. forgiveness. not the campus organizer, say on stage is the business of the However, even the Ohio State Gee has chosen to retire in order who has given us comedian and the casino that does alumni and boosters agree that Gee’s to spend, as he calls it, “some time in freedom to assemble.