I had the great pleasure of accepting an invitation to the New York St. Patrick’s Day celebration this year. Myself and Mick Lynch the Irish leader of the RMT in England, were guests of the Transport Worker’s Union of America thanks to International President, John Samuelsen.

I arrived a couple of days before St Patrick’s Day to get a rest before a busy week of talks. I’ve been to New York a good few times and I love nothing better than walking around looking at buildings and chatting with people. I don’t know why people say New Yorker’s don’t catch your eye or chat with strangers. I think it’s the opposite, they love a bit of conversation and they want to know where you’re from, what you’re doing etc.

Years ago, only a month after 9-11, I went into a shop in Little Italy and started chatting with the owner. Real old school Italian, sold everything from Rosary Beads to coffee pots, nails, screws and postcards. Ernie is his name, well known in the area and I drop into him every time I’m in New York. Sadly his wife and brother died during Covid but he’s trooping on.

 

 

I was scheduled to speak at a couple of events including at a TWU Local 100 event in Brooklyn to honour Mike Quill, the IRA Volunteer and founder of the Union. The day is known as Quill Connolly Day and is always very well attended.

 

John Samuelsen, International President of the Transport Workers Union of America spoke on the early days of the Union and how Mike Quill, the Irishman who founded it continues to inspire his own fight against the bosses in transport today. In fairness to John he is a great speaker, knows how to have a bit of craic and as he used to work “down in the hole” as they say, like Mike Quill before him he has first hand experience of the problems workers face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Maskey, Sinn Féin’s MP for West Belfast gave a talk and gave thanks to the ongoing relationship between the TWU and their commitment to remembering Mike Quill and James Connolly.

I said a few words followed by Mick Lynch. There was music, Irish dancing, pipers and plenty of chatting. A few lads from Belfast associated with the James Connolly Centre arrived, Kevin, Harry and Sam along with the Sinn Fein MP for West Belfast, Paul Maskey who gave a great speech.

 

 

It was great to chat with Mick Lynch about James Connolly and how important his writings are today, over a hundred years since he was executed in Kilmainham Gaol. Mick’s union is the RMT, The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and he represents over 80,000 workers.

Mick has a great way about him. Have a look at this video of Kay Burley from Sky News who tried to rile him up during the RMT strike and how it backfired on her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HufDB6QDXTc

Myself and the speakers were given a glass commemorative piece from the TWU which I call “my trophy” at home. I don’t think I won anything in my life, unless you count a Community Games gold medal for chess as Kimmage Champion 1982, although my only opponent was my sister Orla who couldn’t play chess. Anyway, I was over the Moon to receive such a lovely gift from the Union.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day there was a luncheon, attended by different union representatives from around New York and New Jersey, for the annual James Connolly Irish American Labor Coalition. There were about four or five hundred people packed into the wonderful Bobby Van’s Steakhouse. This is the best steakhouse in New York, hands down.

Dan Kane won a Lifetime Achievement Award. Sean M O’Brien was awarded the James Connolly Man of the Year. Steven A Tolman was declared the Labor Champion and Paul Maskey, Mick Lynch and myself all said a few words too.

I was delighted to have a pint with my great friend Marty Glennon, a Labor stalwart in New York and a friend of Ireland for many years. I meet so many people on my tours in Dublin who say “Marty sent me” and I always kid that he’s the American Representative for the 1916 Walking Tour.

 

On St Patricks Day I was invited to a Sinn Féin breakfast. I was late of course but tucked into a big Irish fry knowing that the day ahead would be long and might involve a glass of whiskey.

I had a lovely chat over breakfast with Vice President of Sinn Féin, Michelle O’Neill who had only been elected the previous month as First Minister for the Six Counties. Mary Lou McDonald, who succeeded Gerry Adams as President of Sinn Féin in 2018, was slagging me for being late, presuming I had been drinking the night before, but I explained that I was “jet lagged.” Michelle and Mary Lou will hopefully lead this country of ours in a United Ireland some day soon.

 

 

My pal Marty and his family and friends were at the event. He introduced me to a brave firefighter and a very popular figure in New York, Battalion Chief Eddie Boles.

Have a read about Eddie in the Journal here: https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/everything-was-pulverised-a-new-york-firefighter-reflects-ten-years-on-220128-Sep2011/

We made our way towards 5th Avenue to get into position as we were all to walk in the Parade.

 

 

It was a great honour to march in the St Patrick’s Day Parade. Thousands of spectators lined the route, cheering and clapping. I thought of Mike Quill, who arrived in New York on 16 March 1926 and how a young IRA Volunteer from Kerry, from a village of less than 50 people, spent his first full day in this huge city watching all the Irish exiles celebrating their heritage. I reflected on how he founded this great Transport Workers Union now run by John Samuelsen who fights today for the rights of 160,000 workers. What a legacy!

It’s hard to describe the atmosphere in New York on St Patrick’s Day. There’s a very friendly vibe, everyone seems to know each other and if they don’t they will soon enough. Like at home, a fair amount of drinking, but all in a good cause.

 

 

Thanks to International President of the TWU John Samuelsen for the invitation to New York. It was a great experience for me and one I’ll not soon forget.

My pal Marty organised for me to give a little talk in Nassau County to the Friendly Sons of St Patrick. It was a fair drive away so my friend Michael P McDonald hired a car and drove myself and our lovely pal from the Brehon Law Society, Mary Elizabeth to the talk. Check out Michael’s incredible book All Souls which is about growing up in South Boston. I always enjoy a chat with him and Mary Elizabeth, both of them have been working for Ireland in one shape or another for decades.

 

Well it was a nice talk, a gentle group of Friendly Sons and we’d a couple of drinks but as I was flying off the following day I didn’t over indulge. A great week in New York, unforgettable, new and old friends!