By Marilyn Madigan
Each March, University and College Basketball Teams hope to become part of March Madness. For those of us in the Irish community, March Madness begins the first Sunday of January. On that Sunday, marchers for the St. Patrick Day Parade sign up for practice at the West Side Irish American Club (IA).
I had the honor and privilege of representing the IA during many St. Patrick Day Parades. Let us go down memory lane.
In 1969, I was in my last year at St. Patrick’s West Park Grade School. St. Patrick’s Grade School started a Drill Team in 1966. I was more interested in playing CYO Basketball, but my last year I wanted to march with the Drill Team.
I was not picked! I came home very disappointed. My cousin Cheryl Gallagher also was not picked. Cheryl’s Aunt and my mother were first cousins. They saw our disappointment and decided that the following Sunday that marching with the IA was in our future.
So, the following Sunday, Cheryl and I were taken to the IA to begin our marching with the Ladies Drill Team. St. Pat’s Drill Team and the Ladies Drill Team were competitors for the JF Kennedy Memorial Trophy.
Each Sunday from January to March 17, the WSIA was packed with children of all ages practicing their skills for the St. Patrick Day Parade. Many would visit the store at the corner of Madison and West 98th to purchase candy before practice.
We practiced in the Main Hall of the Club. Celia Gallagher monitored the door to the Club’s bar, keeping the young ones out or letting us go in to buy a pop. She always watched out for us, and many may have thought her very stern.
Truth to be told, Celia Gallagher loved the kids. She was special – many kids gave Celia their senior photos from high school. The wallet with those photos was one of her prize possessions.
Bus to the Parade
As we traveled by bus to the parade, we would sing songs. One of the songs that I remember was sung by Arthur McChrystal for the Ladies Drill Team. It was the Civil Rights song “We Shall Overcome.” He sang this hoping that the Ladies Drill Team would win the J.F. Kennedy Trophy.
The song worked. We did win the coveted trophy. The next day at school, Cheryl and I witnessed terrible attitudes from many of our classmates until Sr. Donna called the behavior out. What a lesson in sportsmanship.
Another great memory was the WSIA club’s St. Patrick’s Day Mass, started by Gerry Lavelle. If my memory serves me correctly, the first Mass was held at the club prior to moving to St. Colman’s. The WSIA would hold the first parade for the day; the Units marched down Madison Avenue to the St. Colman’s on West 65th.
These are just a few of my memories of past St. Patrick’s Days. This year will be special at St. Colman’s, as the ray of sunshine from Gerry Lavelle will shine on his daughters Liz and Mary B. as they are honored by the club he loved so well.
Also at the St. Colman’s Mass will be the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of the club’s Founding Members. What a testimonial to the WSIA Club. I hope that in years to come many of the young marchers will have great memories of the friends that they meet while marching with the IA, just like I do.
On this St. Patrick’s Day as We Celebrate the Life of St. Brigid, let us also celebrate all those who have instilled in us our pride for our Irish heritage and our Catholic faith
