Parade marked a new moment in the story of Irish America
Dear Sir,
The 2018 St Patrick’s Day in New York marked a new moment in the story of Irish America.
The day began for us with breakfast at Gracie Mansion hosted by Mayor Bill deBlasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray who welcomed openly gay Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the 2018 Grand Marshal Loretta Brennan who has been a advocate for LGBT inclusion. Gerry Adams Teachta Dála (TD) for Louth and East Meath was honored by the City for his leadership with John Hume in the Peace Process and the Good Friday agreement.
For our Irish LGBT group the parade March 17 was a day for coming out and coming home in our New York Irish community.
We were being ourselves among our own people. It seems simple. However when you have spent most of life closeted, silenced or in exile as it is for most LGBT persons world wide the equal welcome is huge.
When about 180 of us stepped from 44th street onto 5th Avenue in the front section of the largest St. Patrick’s parade in the world we celebrated with a cheer. We were leaving a past behind of arrests and exclusion and stepping into a new moment in the history of Irish America with our banner reading “Lavender and Green Alliance - Muintir Aerach na hÉireann, celebrating Irish Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, and Transgender culture and identity .” We sang the joy of the welcome in our anthem- “we all go together” led by Malachy McCourt along with Tom Duane, Christine Quinn, Phil Donahue, Judth Kasen Windsor, Sinn Fein Mary Lou McDonald and Kathleen Walsh D’Arcy.
There was marvelous moment when Tommy and Treasa Smyth commentators for the national television NBC coverage of the parade announced the presence of the Irish LGBT group Lavender and Green Alliance. Tommy is from Knockbridge Co Louth.
In the New York St Patrick’s Day Parade 2018 the heart of Irish America was visible on 5th Avenue and it was welcoming and inclusive. Most of crowds cheered and waved their welcome. It was great to see Jimmy Weldon Drogheda ‘s famed photographer. Parade chair Dr. John Lahey waited and greeted us.
We were mindful that we also marched for youth who are just coming out and finding themselves and their place in Irish America with the hope that they may only know genuine welcome and hospitality. Our Lavender and Green sashes bore the LOGO by Robert Ballagh and theme from 1916 “cherishing all the children of the nation equally “
Parades are significant cultural rituals of belonging and the New York St Patrick’s Day parade is a unique and iconic celebration of Irish connectedness past and present. The simple and seeming small gesture of LGBT inclusion has changed lives and history.
Through the day I raised a glass in memory of those whose voices and activism changed lives for the better. YOURS, Brendan Fay, New York.