52 Comments

• IRELAND1970 | Feb 27, 2012, 09:32 AM EST

  AMERICAN SHOULD BE HAPPY TO BE AMERICAN ... AS MOST OF YOU ARE AS FAR REMOVED FROM IRELAND AND THE IRISH WAY OF LIFE OVER HERE.... IM IRISH LIVE IN IRELAND AND THE MAJORITY OF US CRINGE AT YOU TRYING TO BE IRISH ... TO BE GAY IN IRELAND WE HAVE NO PROBS WITH GAY PEOPLE ... YET IN BOGOTED BACKWARD AMERICA ITS A DIFFERENT STOTY ,,, NO PROBS THERE... BUT DONT 'HIJACK OUR CULTURE AND PATRICKS PARADE AND 'TRY STAMP YOUR NARROW MINDED VIEWS ON US.... WE DONT NEED IT THANKS !!!... WE HAVE OUR OWN PARADES OVER HERE ' WE DONT NEED YOUR TACKY BIGOTED ONES ALSO'... CHEERS

• jacersagain | Mar 20, 2011, 06:29 PM EDT

  (...From below) In the case of Pádraig Pearse, there is not one historical account showing that he was homosexual in any way. Pearce was brought up a Catholic after his Unitarian father married, after his first wife’s death, a Catholic woman from Dublin. Her parents were from a Gaelic-speaking area of County Meath and it was they who taught Pearse Irish language, Irish culture and the beauty of old Irish poems. Pearse went on to university, fees paid for by his wealthy stonemason Protestant father and qualified with a BA degree in Languages. He went on to become a school teacher, a writer and an editor, publishing newspapers, books and poems (something that IrishCentral’s Niall O’Dowd and his team could not ever achieve today, despite resources available to them from all over the world, the kind that Pearse never knew). Pádraig Pearse never married. He was once deeply in love with a young woman who tragically drowned off the coast of Kerry. He never recovered from that loss, even wrote a poem expressing his grief and was known for his devotion to the Holy Eucharist and Holy Rosary. The man was only 36 or 37 yrs old at the time he was hung for being patriotic (think of your sons and daughters of that age, or even yourself at that age)... had he lived to get over his love loss, he might have found another woman. However, the fact that he never married after that tragedy, coupled with a poem that he wrote describing the beauty of childhood (as he saw it through his school teaching years), led to (much later on in years, after he was dead and unable to defend) allegations that he may have been homosexual. But there is not one iota of proof of this... all these allegations are theatrical assumptions by ... what? ... present-day theatrical writers.(...to above).

• jacersagain | Mar 20, 2011, 06:17 PM EDT

  (..From below) Sir Roger Casement was knighted in 1911 by the British Establishment of the time for his exposé of inhuman practices in Africa and Peru, through his so-called ‘White Diaries’ but always held a belief that Irishmen should govern themselves, which led him, despite being a Knight of the British Crown, to support the efforts of Irish Republicans and to import guns from Germany for their cause. He was caught attempting to land guns for the Republican cause off the coast of Kerry, tried for treason (because Germany was Britain’s enemy in the WWI) and sentenced to death by hanging. Appeals for clemency by international bodies who recognised Sir Roger’s past humanitarian and diplomatic efforts were shot down by the British Establishment of the time, mainly through publishing the so-called ‘Black Diaries’ of Casement, produced by what might be called today a ‘Black-ops’ team within the British Establishment, which portrayed him to be homosexual. Homosexuality was greatly frowned on back then, as it is rightfully still today, but his execution by hanging was carried out, under the black clouding of honest minds by the then-false evidence of the ‘Black Diaries’. No evidence has ever come to light that Casement was homosexual other than that produced by the ‘Black-ops’ team of the British Establishment of the time. The whole travesty was a successful theatrical coup by the British Establishment back then (...to above)

• jacersagain | Mar 20, 2011, 06:10 PM EDT

  @jfmulligan again – Re the Irish Republican patriots that you allege to be homosexuals – Sir Roger Casement and Pádraig Pearse, both Irishmen, both Dublin-born and both sons of Protestant fathers (Casement’s father was an Ulster Protestant and Pearse’s father was an Englishman from Birmingham, a Unitarian Churchman) - there is no proof whatsoever that either or both were homosexuals. Let me show why with (yawn ah huh.. maybe boring...) facts.

• jacersagain | Mar 20, 2011, 06:09 PM EDT

  @jfmulligan yesterday @ 05.47PM: - If you were not so blinded by ignorance and selfishness, you might notice that there is no hatred against people who portray themselves as 'gay'. There is hatred against the self-abuse, the false love propagating abuse towards innocent young people through which gay people surreptitiously operate and the sins committed by gay people against God’s natural design. There is hatred for the un-citizenry, criminal and sacrilegious activities of some of the LGBT people in pursuit of their selfish aims. But, like all sinners, LGBT people can always find forgiveness and true joy once repentance is made and a firm commitment made not to engage in sinful acts again. The words “Forgive the sinners, only God can forgive the sin” still ring true for everybody. >>> There are many websites offering online support from ex-LGBT people to those who can and wish to get out of their mire, in fact there may be some real ex-LGBT support groups in your own locality that you could look to for help to change from sickening (that word is not used lightly or dismissively here... think STDs and AIDS) bedroom ways and theatrical public displays.

• aloistmartin | Mar 20, 2011, 05:34 PM EDT

  As an American I am against eny Bipartisan Discrimination. But as a Catholic and a Sympathizer of The Irish National Cause I Beleive What is Best for Ireland and The Church is Best with mee...

• ellenfromcork | Mar 20, 2011, 12:09 PM EDT

  "Oh, hadn't we the gay-ity at Phil the Fluters' ball"!!

• DanOLoingsigh | Mar 20, 2011, 11:10 AM EDT

  The sun is shining brightly The trees are clothed with green The beauteous bloom of flowers On ev'ry side is seen And all the world is GAY For 'tis the month of Mary The lovely month of May

• jfmulligan | Mar 19, 2011, 05:47 PM EDT

  As a first generation Irish American gay man that has protested the hate and bigotry against gay people for the last 19 years at the parade: there is change/movement. Spectators and yes, even some of the participants, show support for an inclusive parade that includes LGBT people. The parade committee, church "leaders" and police are the ones that should behave or be gone. Irish Queers are as Irish as Peig Sayers' brown bread: from the naked Celtic warriors, to Padraig Pearse, to Roger Casement-to name but a few.

• maloney | Mar 19, 2011, 03:39 PM EDT

  dennisq...you need to listen to what's being said, not hearing what you want to here. Jacers has said it well. Pay attention dennisq. I'm not for banning anyone from the parade. The gays have brought it upon themselves by their past actions of misconduct and unexceptable behavior. If they could be trusted not to bare to much or grind on each other as they have done in the past, there would not be a problem now. They just don't know how to behave.

• DennisQ | Mar 19, 2011, 03:28 PM EDT

  That's a very spiteful God you believe in, jacersagain, to create gays the way they are only to frustrate them. Why would God do a thing like that except out of cruelty?
  
  Official teaching of the Church is different today from what it used to be. It used to be that every homosexual was going to Hell, and that was it. But today it's taught that gay people can redeem themselves in God's sight by denying themselves the very desires that God put there. That can't be right because it makes God wicked.
  
  Sounds to me that there's a group of misguided Catholics who would like to impose sharia law on the Catholic Church itself. Everything not specifically permitted is haram, that is to say, it is forbidden. I'd call that a heresy. It's time the Church actively promoted the idea that gays are not going to Hell just for that fact alone.

• DanOLoingsigh | Mar 19, 2011, 03:25 PM EDT

  A once grand and glorious Eire? Not in my lifetime…clerical abuse, Magdalene girls, gombeenism and the rest. Gilmore's been in office a week!!

• kilgara | Mar 19, 2011, 03:16 PM EDT

  Mindless politicians like Gilmore are rapidly turning a once grand and glorious Eire into a Godless multi-cultural hodgepodge of a hellhole.

• mamaginnty | Mar 19, 2011, 01:49 PM EDT

  Why are we mentioning the word catholic so often in these comments. There is every denomination all over the world who love St Patricks Day, not because of a saint called Patrick, but because of the name Ireland. Here in Ireland we do have our gay people in marches and they do not flaunt their name.

• DanOLoingsigh | Mar 19, 2011, 01:21 PM EDT

  Jacers...As I’m not an L, or a G, or a B, or a T, am not fully up to speed with their carnal habits, but I understand some heterosexual bedroom practices are not encouraged, either? I’m not a Bible scholar either, but isn’t there something about loving ones enemy, and ‘many rooms in the mansion’? Also on the T bit, one definition is ‘a person whose sexual identification is entirely with the opposite sex’. Not sure if there is a biblical opinion on this, so maybe we can let the T guys in?

• jacersagain | Mar 19, 2011, 11:48 AM EDT

  Jaysus Dennis Q, you still don’t get it! It is not I or any other person who says the sexual practices engaged by LGBT people are wrong. The Bible, which all Christians accept as the Word of God revealed to mankind, says it. When I used the words ‘tawdry, gaudy glittering’ phrase, it was an allusion to Christ’s temptation by satan when he tempted Him with all the glittering riches of the world. Nobody is saying that Irish and Irish-American LGBT people shouldn’t march in the NYC parade... we’re saying that they shouldn’t use the occasion to flaunt their sin-filled bedroom lifestyles. On top of that, no NYC Catholic is going to easily forget the attack made by LGBT people in St. Patrick’s Church some years ago when they flung Holy Communion Hosts about, strewn on the floor. It is difficult to offer tolerance to those who do such things to further their cause.

• DennisQ | Mar 19, 2011, 04:11 AM EDT

  The struggle for inclusion in the St. Patrick's Day line of march has to be expanded to a push among Catholics for greater tolerance, indeed greater charity. I've taken issue with maloney who believes that gay people are incapable of behaving themselves. And I also take issue with jacersagain who sees "satan's gaudy, tawdry glittery promises and desires" in gay sexuality.
  
  Both of these gentlemen are far out of the mainstream even among conservative Catholics. Ordinary Catholics ought to repudiate such extreme views, and gays can indeed persuade them to to do just that.
  
  It's just too incredible that there would not be any gay saints, especially at the rate John Paul II was canonizing people who lived exemplary lives. Surely there are people whose cause just needs an advocate before the bureaucracy in Rome. The point here is to catch the Church up in its own doctrine, that is, if God made gays that way, surely some of them ought to be canonized.
  
  Frankly, you won't get any recognition from the Church if you don't have your own saints. Don't assume every Catholic is as unforgiving as maloney or jacersagain. A gay saint will lead the way toward inclusion in the line of march on St. Patrick's Day in Manhattan.

• maloney | Mar 18, 2011, 10:56 PM EDT

  Most people don't care to see arse cheeks in the parade, plain and simple. They don't know how to behave.

• jacersagain | Mar 18, 2011, 10:09 PM EDT

  Sorry DanO – I understand your apology and thank you for it to me and others watching your posts but I don’t think it cuts through the ice of truth in the NYC Irish parade's objectives' of being Irish. The LBGT brigade has every democratic right to portray what they are: selfish self-sexually abusing people - anywhere other than in a traditionally sacrosanct Irish celebration in NYC, or anywhere else on this planet. >>> Your point re the DADT policy being dishonest is good and taken for what it is - but for being Irish and Christian celebrating St. Patrick’s objectives and his results throughout the world on 17th March every year, and the objectives and results of those who came after him out of Ireland to places like Munich (very big St. Patrick’s parade there too!) and other places throughout Europe - in our Irish Christian legacy today and as in NYC's Irish parade - while the LGBT brigade believe that they can flout against both those principles on God's planet Earth leaves a lot of... well you know.. a lot of begging belief in a lie. At least, according to God’s Word and Will, I hafta say, it is not acceptable to humans promulgating God’s design of life, whatever way one chooses to interpret either or both of St. Patrick’s objectives, which are those of Christ Himself, for people to behave to one’s own satisfaction. It is not the way of Christ. I urge every member of the LGBT brigade to look to Christ’s way to find the love they deserve and stop craving for it in the wrong ways, the way He found ways to reject satan's gaudy, tawdry glittery promises and desires.

• DanOLoingsigh | Mar 18, 2011, 07:57 PM EDT

  Jacers...it’s certainly not my intention to cause offence, and I apologise if that’s the case, although other posters don’t seem to mind offending the LGBT minority. I was trying to say that the ‘don’t ask. don’t tell’ approach is fundamentally dishonest, and people have a right to be proud of who they are…so long as they’re not harming others, and using the paedophile scandal to illustrate where silence and looking away can lead to.

• pilib04 | Mar 18, 2011, 07:44 PM EDT

  What if the Archbishop of New York said it was ok for the IrishGLBT to march? Would it be ok then? Seems like the Archbishop of New York would be willing to go along I would think.

• jacersagain | Mar 18, 2011, 07:21 PM EDT

  By Jesus, DanO you've really lost the plot with that comment, flinging mud at mainstream Catholics! It's completely unrelated to the right of mainstream Irish-American Catholics and their guests to walk in the NYC parade without the tawdry disrespectful displays of people who reject all Irish Christian Churches’ teachings (those of St. Patrick included but most of all rejecting the teachings of the Bible of Christ through His Father in Heaven) and having regard for the deliberate havoc that LGBT people with their unnecessary histrionics cause to what is a singularly Irish event. Talk about respect DanO - the LGBT brigade doesn’t have any for the traditional uniqueness of the NYC parade and what it means. Pity that. I'm sure they would be welcomed as Irish alone.

• DanOLoingsigh | Mar 18, 2011, 06:43 PM EDT

  Use of phrases in previous posts such as ‘keep your sexual orientation to yourself, we don't want to hear about it’ and ’private bedroom preferences’ may help to explain how paedophile priests were able to wreak their havoc across communities. Well we’ve all heard about it now!!

• jfmulligan | Mar 18, 2011, 04:15 PM EDT

  Why do so many people thinks it is ok for groups to identify and march behind a banner of their union, their school, their job etc. but that it is not ok for a group of Irish and Irish American lesbians and gay men to walk behind a banner of their own? There isn't one banner that everyone walks behind on the day celebrating our Irishness, and there shouldn't be.

• ellenfromcork | Mar 18, 2011, 11:21 AM EDT

  A Catholic parade? Does that mean that during the screening process for who can march in the parade, Protestants, Jews, atheists, Hindus, Moslems,Buddhists,Druids,and " fallen away Catholics" etc, are purged from the line of march? Hmmm, I think that would make for a very short parade.

• connor32 | Mar 18, 2011, 11:03 AM EDT

  The LGBT community is trying to use the St. Patrick's Day parade as a publicity stunt. The gay community is allowed to be in the parade! They DO NOT need to have their own contingent and banners as their sexual orientation has NOTHING to do with Saint Patrick or Irish heritage. Keep your sexual orientation to yourself, we don't want to hear about it. And by the way, this is a Catholic parade. We don't discriminate against gays, as that is their choice and no one should be descriminated against, but we don't agree with it or condone it either. Bottom line, being gay is irrelevant to the parade. Go get publicity somewhere else.

• ellenfromcork | Mar 18, 2011, 11:01 AM EDT

  Mattachine is taken from the Italian mattachino, a word for the court jester who tells the truth to the king.

• jacersagain | Mar 18, 2011, 10:10 AM EDT

  I think that’s a silly comparison made by DanO – I don’t think anyone would object to LGBT people participating in NYC’s SPD parade if they would just celebrate being Irish and not flaunting their sexuality. Before anyone shouts “..but.. but others flaunt their (whatever)!!...” let’s make a clear distinction between Irishness, Irish culture, Irish-American commercial displays and public displays of private bedroom preferences.

• bigjoe226 | Mar 18, 2011, 09:45 AM EDT

  I never realized gays are banned (as the headline seems to claim) from the parade. I will have to inform my gay cousin who marched yesterday with County Clare. I wonder how loud Mr. Gilmore is when the gay parade marches past St. Patrick's Cathedral and they do their "colorful" anti-Catholic act. I wish someone would ban all the dopey screaming drunks with their stupid hats....

• DanOLoingsigh | Mar 18, 2011, 06:00 AM EDT

  Seems those who strongly resented the old ‘No Irish need apply’ signs are quite cool with ‘No Gays need apply’ signs?….hypocrites

• DennisQ | Mar 18, 2011, 04:35 AM EDT

  Turns out there is a Saint Clarence, a French bishop who today is the patron saint of prisoners. There have got to be a lot of candidates for patron saint of gay people, if only because throughout history there have been millions and millions of gay people. At least some of them must have lived saintly lives.
  
  I don't think we can presume that a given group won't behave themselves while on parade. Put them on notice beforehand that there should not be any men dressed up as nuns and that other forms of outrageous behavior won't be tolerated either. Every year, for example, Lesbians parade topless on New York streets, and they shouldn't be allowed to do that in the St. Patrick's Day parade.
  
  I'm still stuck for a name - how about the Michelangelo Society? He's certainly Catholic because he painted the Sistine Chapel, and gays have claimed him for generations. I'd say they could probably get away with calling themselves the Mattachine Society, but I have no idea what Mattachine means.

• maloney | Mar 18, 2011, 12:17 AM EDT

  dennis..but they still don't know how to behave.

• DennisQ | Mar 18, 2011, 12:14 AM EDT

  It seems to me that the gays could mount a public relations offensive and force the issue. First they find a gay saint and name their organization after that person.
  
  Let's say they call themselves the Saint Clarence Society. They'd commission a banner and make appearances in various venues throughout the year. Everybody would soon forget that Saint Clarence is a gay saint and it wouldn't be a big deal that members of the society march under that banner in the Manhattan parade on St. Patrick's Day.
  
  I don't know if there is a Saint Clarence, but there have got to be a number of gay saints. Why wouldn't there be? Supposedly it's genetic, and there's always a percentage of the population that are gay.
  
  Even if they can't find a saint, they can find an eminent public figure - some great leader or poet. They can name themselves after that person, and re-apply for a place in the line of march.

• maloney | Mar 17, 2011, 09:53 PM EDT

  Gays in the parade would not be a problem but they don't know how to behave.

• sirpeter | Mar 17, 2011, 09:24 PM EDT

  Eamon Gilmore...Don't you have other things to be thinking about!! Now get to work!! Smack!! Smack!!! Gays indeed.

• eiriamach | Mar 17, 2011, 06:01 PM EDT

  The Catholics here who still want to exclude LGBTs do not seem to realize, as they write about what they think is right, that for many of us it is clearly WRONG--immoral and inhumane, narrow-minded and mean-spirited--to practice exclusion on the basis of sexual orientation. It is as wrong as it was for previous generations to exclude on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, or degree of handicap. You live in a pluralist society, and you should be willing to respect the freedom of conscience of those whose moral principles are different from yours and more like Gilmore's and the Irish of Ireland. Tolerance is a virtue; intolerance is a vice.

• howareya | Mar 17, 2011, 02:06 PM EDT

  Why can't they just march as Irishmen and women?? Why do they have to march as GAY Irish men and women? Gays are not banned from marching...they can march in the parade...just not under the Gay thing. I just don't get it. Do we have a separate category for straight Irish to march in?? Like Narrowback said...I think it's the activists that push this type of thing. Anything to stir it up!

• hollabackgurl | Mar 17, 2011, 01:13 PM EDT

  It's a Catholic parade allright; it's also a beer drinking, pub swelling celebration; it's also a military recruitment parade; it's also a police and fire department parade; it's also a political and religious photo opportunity; it's also an opportunity for the Irish (gay and straight) to take pride in their ancestry. So open your arms and your heart and your mind katieherk and be the generous person your ancestors hoped you'd be.

• Pedrolimao | Mar 17, 2011, 12:58 PM EDT

  If the groups with banners denouncing the gay lifestyle would be allowed in the NY gay pride parade...I would be silent and turn my back to it.

• NARROWBACK | Mar 17, 2011, 11:55 AM EDT

  many gays march in the parade with the organization they belong too. it is the groups like actup and code pink who cause all of the commotion. The same groups that disrupted mass and threw the Holy Communion on the floor at St Patricks.

• DANOLO13 | Mar 17, 2011, 11:53 AM EDT

  There will be a day, I hope, when all are 'open-minded', and less idiotic to SAINT PATRICK AND GOD ON SAINT PATRICK'S DAY.Yes, it is a great day FOR CATHOLICS, and of us whom are IRISH. Upon that is celebrating the day by celebrating the man, SAINT PATRICK. a follower of the Lord, and Catholic. We love all people and show respect, but we do not acknowledge nor support the (fake) 'gay' community nor support their life style. to celebrate a sinful lifestyle is pissing on St. Patrick's grave, and into the wind.

• mayoman | Mar 17, 2011, 11:42 AM EDT

  The day will hopefully soon come when the organizers of The Parade will be a more open-minded and less-phobic lot, and gays will be welcomed to celebrate their ancestry like all of us. And everyone will wonder what all the fuss was about.

• jamieLM | Mar 17, 2011, 11:30 AM EDT

  It began as a Catholic parade, but in some places it's now a parade that celebrates St. Patrick and Irish heritage and includes Protestants of Irish ancestry.

• katieherk | Mar 17, 2011, 11:29 AM EDT

  As usual the gays are trying to take over everything. First, this is not a parade for gays or straights... it's an Irish/Catholic parade. If gays fit in that category, great... march, but not carrying the stupid gay flag. When will they realize this is not about THEM? For the sake of sanity please do not allow them to march as gays but allow them as Irish or Catholic!!!

• ellenfromcork | Mar 17, 2011, 11:14 AM EDT

  The Berlin wall came down, the USSR dissolved, peace in Northern Ireland, the Queen is coming to Ireland. Is it possible the NYC parade organizers will see the light???

• NARROWBACK | Mar 17, 2011, 11:09 AM EDT

  It is not an Irish parade it is a Catholic parade,the gay lifestyle is against Catholic teachings, gays are allowed to march with any organization that is scheduled to march in the parade(counties, labor organizations, marching bands)they just want to march under their own banner to make a mockery of the church.

• Rebelforce | Mar 17, 2011, 10:58 AM EDT

  Each year it is looking more and more ridiculous that the St Patrick's Day parade committee refuses to allow an Irish gay group from marching in the world's largest Irish celebration. They've got Irish veteran groups, Irish telephone workers, Irish Argentinians, Irish Jews, Irish Mummers....you name it, marching. To exclude Irish gays from marching proudly under their own banner (in a city where the City Council President and perhaps future Mayor is Irish and gay) is looking increasingly anachronistic.

• armaghabu | Mar 17, 2011, 10:44 AM EDT

  Fair play Tanaiste, Happy St. Pat's to all!

• olovely | Mar 17, 2011, 10:13 AM EDT

  Ireland has moved on. Gilmore is right to address equality issues and to protect the interests of all Irish citizens. Exclusion is not an Irish thing, they value welcome and hospitality - Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

• hooligan6a | Mar 17, 2011, 10:04 AM EDT

  I don't understand why anyone expects special treatment, because of their behavior in the bedroom. If they want to march because they are Irish, let them march. But they want to march because they screw chickens, then I vote No.

• rugbyplayer | Mar 17, 2011, 09:57 AM EDT

  Wonderful words from Irish Foreign Minister Eamon Glmore recently as he addressed various Irish American groups at the New York City Irish Consulate about the role of equality in Ireland and how that should serve as a cue for Irish Americans to be as equally open-minded about gay issues within the USA. A brave stand for Gay participation in the annual Saint Patrick Day Parades in New York!

• hyattsville | Mar 17, 2011, 09:41 AM EDT

  Good on Gilmore. He is absolutely correct in saying ‘This issue of exclusion is not Irish. Exclusion is not an Irish thing’ although you’d never think it from reading the comments that pepper Irish Central. I look forward to, and fully support, the government of Ireland under this current coalition leadership.