LIBERA ME, Domine, Iesu Christe, ab omnibus iniquitatis meis et universis malis,
fac me tuis semper inhærere mandatis et a te numquam separari permittas. Amen.



Wednesday 17 March 2010

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh !


(I’m sorry that I cannot offhand validate this tale; I heard it from what I believe to be a reliable source, and pass it on on that basis.)

I'm sure you will know of the great S. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York (250 years old next year, if I’m not mistaken !); and you may be aware that much if not most of the USA goes green today . . . McDonald’s offer ‘Shamrock Shakes’, I’ve seen green bagels in Jewish delicatessens, and – as you can see above – Chicago actually dyes its river green !

Going back to New York, though, apparently a good many years ago, after many years of fruitless invitations, the organizers of the New York Parade were delighted to receive an acceptance to their invitation to the Lord Mayor of Dublin to attend the Parade as the Guest of Honour.

He turned up, and duly occupied the central seat on the dais outside S. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Parade went by; and as it was passing, the Cardinal observed that they were very lucky to have such a distinguished Irishman as their guest to celebrate their Patron Saint : to which the Lord Mayor apparently replied ‘Ah well; I wouldn’t be knowing much about S. Patrick : I’m Jewish myself !’

1 comment:

  1. We're more Irish than the Irish! It's the one day of the year when we can say SAINT and not be accused of pushing our religion on someone else!

    Prayers for Ireland.

    ReplyDelete