It is impossible at this time of year not to think of my mother, who was Irish to her core, in ways both good and bad. She was a Cavanagh, and it was she who took me by the hand to my very first St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which also happened to be the first to be held on State Street.This was in 1956, and I don’t remember, though can logically assume, that new Mayor Richard J. Daley led the parade. But I have always remembered something my mother told me that day.She was not smiling as were the hundreds around us as the parade passed, and when I asked, “Why aren’t you happy?” she said, “The Irish have not always had a happy time of it.” Chicago Tribune

Tá sé dodhéanta ag an am seo den bhliain gan smaoineamh ar mo mháthair, a raibh Gaeilge mar chroílár, ar bhealaí idir dhó agus olc. Ba Cavanagh a bhí sí, agus bhí sí a thug mo lámh dom ar an gcéad Mhóráid Lá Fhéile Pádraig, a tharla an chéad cheann a bhí ar siúl ar an Stát Stáit. Bhí sé seo i 1956, agus ní cuimhin liom , cé go bhféadfadh sé go loighciúil go raibh an Méara nua, Richard J. Daley, i gceannas ar an bparáid. Ach chuimhnigh mé i gcónaí rud éigin a dúirt mo mháthair liom an lá sin.

Ní raibh sí ag miongháire ná mar a bhí na céadta timpeall orainn mar a d'aistrigh an paráid, agus nuair a d'iarr mé, "Cén fáth nach bhfuil tú sásta?" A dúirt sí, "Ní raibh an-chuid ama sásta ag an nGaeilge."