I'm thinking about the St. Patrick's Day, and how we used to enjoy the parade..we, Mac and I, sometimes went to the two parades, one in Chateauguay and the one downtown. Sometimes the weather was great and sometimes we froze, but always it was a fun time. At that time we would go down memory lane, Mac would say imagine my dad actually went in the parade with the St Thomas Aquinas Contingent. He said that his brother John rode a horse in the parade...I wonder??? Did I dream that one. We have a picture of his dad wearing real shamrocks on his jacket, we assumed that was when he was in the parade. All this Irish stuff was what sent us off to Ireland to check out Mac's family tree...SURPRISE, we discovered that it seems that there was more of a Scottish background. Who knew??
In the end we think that there was an Irish ancestor and that by the time Mac's grandfather was born the family had moved to Aberdeen in Scotland for work, as that's the place where we found some background information. Mac could not get enough solid information as to his grandfather's birth record, though we did see his name in the records, could not get his birth record..
Maybe one day, one of the family will investigate further. In any case, the McConnell's always seemed to be part Irish rather than Scottish..no one spoke about St. Andrews Day, but I remember St. Paddy's was the big celebration.
Not being Irish I would go along for the ride, and celebrate like all the other Quebecers who become Irish for the day. BUT, my big moment came a few years ago when my good friend Margaret Healy became the first Woman to lead the Parade as Grand Marshal...and big thrill, she came and shook our hand as she walked along the parade route with all the other dignitaries with their top hats green ties, and shamrocks, what a great day for the Irish Women ha..
One of the fun songs Mac's gang from St. Henri used to sing as they all rode their bikes to Pine Beach in Dorval (where I met Mac) was this one
The English Live on St. George's Street
The French they live in Cote St. Paul
But the Irish you can't beat cuz on old St. Patrick Street.
Every nation has it's treat in Montreal
So if you come from the land of the Shamrock
Where killarney's lake's are blue
Then sing a song and make a fuss
Wherever you are you're one of us
If you're Irish, this is the place for you....
Who does your laundry
O'Reilly O'really I really mean it
Don't take my shamrock away....
I may have the lyrics mixed up, but they were a crazy gang, and they sure had fun. I have pictures and many memories of the gang and how great it was to meet that boy ...Mac...
My dad was afraid I may marry him, (and of course I did) how happy he was to find out that though Mac was Irish(or so we thought) he was not Catholic. Of the seven children in the family, the first four (I think) were brought up Catholic, the last three Protestant, luckily Mac was the baby of the family and so was a Protestant, much to my dad's relief. Now I'm the only one in our family that continued to go to church, well hey I think I'm the only one
left ...oh no Mac's first cousin Mabel is still alive and she is Catholic, she still goes to Church....Have to check to see if she thinks she is of Irish decent.
Mabel is ninety years old.. Think it would be a good idea to phone her tomorrow and wish her a Happy St. Patrick's day..I'll be celebrating at a Cabana Sucre...so Happy St. Paddy's day to you all.and a ,g'nite.
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