Join the March

AFTER I became good – that is, after I joined the Knights of Columbus – I found something that my father and I both liked very much.  We could get together and march.

His favorite was the St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City.  There are very strong opinions that this is the greatest parade in the world.

I felt that it was  fine parade, but that there wasn’t a marker for the Knights of Columbus.  They do have markers for respect life organizations, but there was a communication problem that in most cases left the Knights looking for another group to get in the line of march.

While I am very proud to be an Irish American, I always felt more comfortable marching with the Knights of Columbus. After my father died I have always marched with the Suffolk Hibernians with one exception – before I joined the Hibernians I did march with the Freedom Society.

My father never joined the Hibernians, and he and I always marched with the Leitrim Society, a county organization. I proudly now march with the Selden Division 8 Hibernians.

I am sure that anyone who feels the need to march could, with a little patience, find a group with a marker that would welcome them in the spirit of Irish hospitality.

John P. McGowan
Port Jefferson Station, New York