It’s the Greening of America: St. Patrick’s Day

The Irish of all races and creeds celebrated St. Patrick’s Day around the nation Monday with a zeal that astonished visitors from the Emerald Isle. In Washington, the country’s head Irishman was entertained by a piper, a dancer, a leprechaun and a tenor crooning “Ronnie Boy.”

A million people stood 15 deep along New York’s 5th Avenue to see the start of the 225th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. An estimated 200,000 marchers, wearing green on everything from their shoes to their hair, stepped off for the parade.

‘Lot More Noise’

“It’s a lot more noise than what we are used to,” remarked John Fitzgerald of Limerick, who brought his wife and 2-year-old daughter to New York just to see how Americans celebrate the wearing of the green.

The grand marshal of New York’s parade, Alfred O’Hagan Jr., was the first third-generation Irish-American to lead the annual event. O’Hagan, in contrast to some of his predecessors, said he was determined that the parade not be politicized over the conflict in Northern Ireland.

“This is the first time in a decade that people haven’t been divided about the parade,” Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan said in a reference to past bickering.

Mayor Edward I. Koch marched along with other city officials. Cardinal John J. O’Connor, the Roman Catholic archbishop of New York, walked down the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral to greet dignitaries among the marchers as they passed the church.

Reagan Entertained

In Washington, President Reagan was just sitting down for lunch with senior staff members in the Cabinet Room when in marched an Irish bagpiper playing “Garry Owen,” with a woman dancing a jig behind him.

The last wail of the pipes had hardly died away when an Irish tenor strode in to deliver “Danny Boy,” changing the traditional lyrics to “Ronnie Boy.” After that a 4-foot, 2-inch clown dressed as a leprechaun bounded into the room shrieking: “Wait a second! I’m the undersecretary!”

Hopping into an empty chair next to him, the emerald-green clad man presented Reagan with a cardboard shamrock and said: “On behalf of Irish-Americans all over, we want to wish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day.”

In Detroit, the traditional “Sharin’ O’ the Green” mass was said for 2,000 people at Most Holy Trinity Church, built 152 years ago by Irish immigrants. The green refers to money in the collection basket. “We use this money to assist the needy people who come to us for help,” said Father Jay Samonie.

Chicago River Turns Green

In Chicago, “Lepre-Cohens” presented Mayor Harold Washington with a two-foot green bagel, and passed out 30,000 small ones to commuters. Workers sprayed the Chicago River with florescent green dye in the Loop area, scene of a parade featuring 50,000 marchers led by Washington, Gov. James R. Thompson and other city politicians. Police estimated at least 100,000 people turned out to watch.