Child abuse

If you're one of those parents forcing your sons to stay involved with Irish Dancing after the age of 9, what the hell is wrong with you? Does it mean that much to you to walk with the group of parents during the parades? If the boy happens to be gay and wants to continue, let him continue. There's nothing wrong with that and not a big deal, then. Or if they're straight and they're trying to use the dance moves to score with the lasses, then good for them I say.

However, in most cases, neither one of these scenarios is true. It's usually some overzealous parents who care more about their ancestry than their kids or even those actually living in Ireland. Did it ever occur to you that your 13 year old son is the only boy up on the stage? If you are that proud of your heritage, do something constructive. Let him start drinking Guinness regularly at the age of 12. If you keep parading your son out at these events, the damn kid's going to end up in therapy someday. Social status is not that important. Chances are most of your neighbors probably know you are proud to be Irish based on your green slacks and the "England, Get out of Ireland" bumper sticker on the back of your car. There is no need to embarrass your child. By the way, St. Patrick was Italian...

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Luncheon

Channel 2 did a story on the Assembly race and the St. Patrick's Day luncheon. The Blogger shies away from these events. While all this nonsense was going on, I was walking in the fog today on the railroad tracks behind the Sorrento Cheese Plant.

I saw a cardinal, several robins, and believe it or not, a blue jay. It's not too often that Indian Summer lasts six months and leads directly into spring...

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St. Patrick's Day snub

While all the big shots were at the Buffalo Irish Center celebrating my late Uncle Tom's famous St. Patrick's Day luncheon, I was enjoying the three piece special across the street at KFC. Some rats reported to me about an incident that took place during the event.

According to one witness, Bishop Kmiec turned his back on candidate Chris Fahey and walked over to Mickey Kearns and thanked him for his opposition to gay marriage and late term abortions. Witnesses were stunned, from what I'm told. Things got really weird when Jesus himself appeared and walked Mickey over to the bar and bought him a drink.

Makes you wonder what's up with the Erie County Conservative Party? Maybe they should change their name to the Sometimes We're Conservative Party. Despite Fahey's support for gay marriage and late term abortions, the Conservatives gave him their endorsement. I guess business is more important to them than their supposed principles.This is the same group targeting Mark Grisanti over his gay marriage vote. Talk about hypocrisy. Later, the Bishop stuck around the bar and talked some more politics...


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St. Patrick's Day parade

I don't mind the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Many people go downtown to hang out with friends and family. People who like to drink have another excuse to do so. The young kids like all the excitement and goofiness of the whole event. My uncle, Tom Blake, was actually the Grand Marshall back in 2001.

What I can't stand are the people that want to be seen marching in the parade. Anyone living in South Buffalo knows a few of the people I'm talking about. The politicians and other Hollywood types. One of our ghost writers sent in this response to yesterday's parade post that I thought was very funny. I hope you do, too. I can admit when someone's a better writer than I...

Great comment! So true. The "look at me, I'm special and my family are important" crowd love these weeks in March. All the local politicians leave their winter retreats in Florida every year at this time, just so they can try and be more "Irish" than their opponents. Trouble is, most couldn't find Ireland on a map, and the real know-it-alls who think they can since they can speak a few lines of Gaelic, and because they send their daughter to "Irish dancing," wouldn't have a clue what real Irish people think. They should just call this time of the year--Shamrock Run Day to Parade Day--the dreadful two weeks you have to endure some of the biggest a-holes and most shallow phonies on the planet. Such a shame, because it seems like a fun time of the year everywhere else but here.

From what I hear, the parade got a little wild this year. As luck would have it, we have the footage...

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Neighborhood parade

Fat people, drunk people, guys wearing skirts. All with one thing in common: A desire to be seen. Rah, rah, rah. All being viewed by onlookers who moved out of the neighborhood years ago. Happy effin St. Patrick's Day...



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Grand Marshal

From The Buffalo News: Rick O'Sullivan has been named the grand marshal for this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade. O'Sullivan beat out a host of competitors for the title, including former Bills' Running Back Thurman Thomas and outgoing Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak...

O’Sullivan comes from a family of five boys and two girls with a long history of involvement in the parade. His brother, Michael, was grand marshal in 2006 and named their Irish immigrant father, the late Patrick O’Sullivan, as deputy grand marshal. Rick has selected his mother, Janet, as his deputy.

“My mother’s Scottish so I had to talk her into it,” he said.

This year’s parade, dedicated to the memory of real estate broker Daniel F. Hannon III, begins at 2 p. m. March 20 from Niagara Square, after a 10:30 a. m. Mass celebrated by Bishop Edward U. Kmiec in St. Joseph Cathedral.

Irish alliance taps historian to lead parade - South Buffalo - The Buffalo News

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Calling all drunks

The St. Patrick's Day Parade went down Delaware Ave. on Sunday. People of all ages and races gathered to revel in their sheer stupidity as onlookers watched:

“We’re having a wonderful time,” Deputy Fire Commissioner Patrick Lewis said, walking in the parade with a banner across his chest that read, “Irishman of the Year.” “It’s a great day for the Irish, with everyone here enjoying themselves.”
The Buffalo Dachshund Club drew laughs as more than a dozen dogs — walking behind the “Wiener Wagon” — made their way forward.

The political prostitute Lewis actually marched on all fours with the Dachshunds, as his master, mayor Byron Brown held the leash.

St. Pat’s parade packs ’em in : City & Region : The Buffalo News