President Mary McAleese declines St. Patrick's Day NYC Grand Marshal invite

Well done President MCAleese, you would be very welcome in san Antonio, Texas at our parade. All are welcome regardless of belief.

Six months is a long time for the Irish Head of State to be matched at the hip with the lunatics on the Parade Committee. God only knows what stunt they will pull between now and then. It the recent past, we've seen the entire FDNY demoted in the line of march because a visit fire brigade from New Orléans displayed a small banner expressing gratitude for assistance provided after that city's devasting hurricane. The Committee finally relented, but not without its Chair slandering New York's bravest as drunkards. We've also seen the Committee withold the line of march from both the Irish Voice and the Irish Echo in relatiation for actings as journals rather than the Committee's PR firm. Instead, the list was provided solely to the libelous tabloid, the New York Post. The President of Ireland is in no position to wed her entire country to this relentless psychodrama.

I'm so proud of our President today. Well done Mary McAleese. She represents an Ireland that no longer tolerates bigotry in any form.

I think a lot of you are truly misguided. For one, the Irish in Ireland should be thankful Americans showcase Irish culture in NY. The publicity alone from the most important city in the world has boosted tourism in Ireland for years. You should be thankful. How much to you make in Tourism and why do you have a parade in Dublin? Why is there a B & B on every corner? Free publicity from NY!!! Americans you all seem misguided about the President’s decision. It’s all speculations. You have just taken a suggestion from a writer plugging in the wholes. She means no disrespect. She will remain a true Irish leader and that deserve thanks from you who decide to honor your heritage and call yourself Irish American. After the country you live in, the next allegiance is to Ireland then its Taoiseach and President.

Dear George It's one thing to be an idiot - it's quite another to open your mouth and confirm it. The President of Ireland IS ELECTED! St Patrick is NOT the exclusive property of the Catholics. And coming from a nation of immigrants it's a little rich for you to slag off the Dublin parade because it INCLUDES people from all sections of Irish society, whatever their ethnic origins, or indeed their sexual orientation.

Like some other posters, I've been in Dublin and have seen the parade there. I don't know what Irish culture Irish Pluralist is accusing us of stealing. I would suggest Irish Pluralist mind his own business and start building an Dublin parade that reflects Irish culture. The current farce in Dublin is just a stream of people shuffling along and banging bongos, interspersed with groups of African and Chinese dancers. Of course in the background there are 11 year olds getting drunk and getting sick...

irishPluralist: The St Patrick's parade in NYC is a celebration of Irish-American Catholics. The parallel parade in Dublin is, from what I saw a couple years back, a celebration of the cultures of Africa, China, & India. Why don't you hold your Dublin parade in Karachi? Don't try to push your stupid lie that the Dublin Parade is more Irish than ours is. Anyone who seen the Dublin drunkfest will know you're an out and out liar. The mistake was on the part of the NYC Committee in inviting that unelected windbag McAleese.

irishgenebuf==Do you even know what the Easter "parade" is? I bet you don't.

Would you Americans get over it .. Gay people are Irish too ;0 In fact Gay Byrne was one of our greatest ;0

Well done, President McAleese. You've stood all your life against prejudice and intolerance.

I prefer seeing the Easter "parade".

Let the Irish Catholic homophobes march alone.

Why is everyone upset. There are enough true Irish men and woman in New York For a change find a replacement that represents the real Irish People.

@borefield: NY St. Patrick's Day Parade is NOT a Catholic parade. It's about pride in ethnicity.

Irish.Pluralist interesting you speak about stealing other cultures...so you don't know your own history very well, do you? Or any other culture in the world for that matter. it is all an admixture of cultural overlays. Some more prominent that others. It is becoming more apparent that the culture of Ireland has changed substantially from the legends of our American ancestors from Ireland. So while we in America try to honor our Irish ancestry and culture, it may simply not be the one you seem to be part of now.