A great night to be Irish

To the Editor:

On March 17 of every year, we celebrate the contribution of Irish-Americans on St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish have been around so long we assume they have always been a part of the fabric of this country. In truth, it took the Irish more than a century to overcome the ethnic and religious bigotry they faced. Prior to the mid-1840s, Irish immigrants were relatively few in number and Protestant. However, with the great potato famine of the mid-1840s, their numbers became huge and Catholic.

The ways of immigrants were not welcomed. In editorial cartoons of the day, they were portrayed as sub-human ape-like creatures. American attitude toward the Irish began to change when 140,000 of their numbers fought to preserve the union in the Civil War. Of particular note was the valor and bravery of the Irish brigade, also known as the fighting 69th regiment of New York. This unit has served this country since 1849. They were also the first to respond to the World Trade Center Operation Nobel Eagle, where they were deployed to protect buildings, tunnels and other vital infrastructure.

Over the decades, the Irish made their way into the political structure by becoming prominent in the police and fire departments, becoming assets in their communities. They were first to organize trade unions. They contribute today in every aspect of American life and deserve the honor accorded to them on St. Patrick’s Day.

On March 13, the Valley Stream Republican Club honored one of their own, John McDonough, for his 40 years of contributions to the village. As someone who grew up in Valley Stream, I was proud to be a part of this evening. The event was held at the American Legion Hall on Roosevelt Avenue. Despite the incredibly bad weather, power outages and closed streets, more than 160 people were in attendance. Everything around the Legion was in darkness, but the Legion was an oasis of light. Even Mickey D’s was dark. I said to former Valley Stream Mayor John DeGrace, “This defines the luck of the Irish.”