A trip of a lifetime may be a well-worn cliché but the magical moments for the Timahoe Male Choir and the travelling support acts keep coming thick and fast.
The latest surreal experience came on Monday morning when they marched with the Laois Association in the New York St Patrick’s Day parade.
Organisers say that more than 100,000 people take part in the parade and it’s watched by more than a million spectators who line the sidewalks of the iconic 5th Avenue.
Gathering at 50 West 44th Street, the Laois entourage was directly behind our midland neighbours Offaly – and in front of Xavier High School Knights, a school group from 16th Street Manhattan.
Surrounded by skyscrapers it was a different experience than most would be used to for St Patrick’s Day parades. But in many ways it had lots of similarities too.
Among the Laois group, it was parents and kids, buggies and juice beakers, organising themselves to march in this annual event.
There are strict criteria around the St Patrick’s Day parade. Banners with slogans are not permitted at all, with one mad exception: only if they are calling for England to be removed from Ireland.
We actually saw a couple of those signs over the course of the afternoon, one from an Irish-New York group, another from the Derry Association, whose lead banner was decorated with an image of the late Martin McGuinness.
There also firm guidelines from the organisers to walk in straight lines of about six abreast. Judges are dotted regularly along the route to assess the various groups and the understanding is that a poor showing results in a later time slot for next year.
Because of the presence of the choir, the numbers marching with Laois were considerably higher than usual and their earlier slot of 10.30am was because of that. Many other counties didn’t start until the afternoon.
The Timahoe group were under strict instructions from their main organiser Damien Bowe to be fully kitted out in their proper attire – jackets, black pants, shoes (not runners) and the scarves, flat caps and commemorative pins which came in their tour goodie bag.
After posing for a group photo in Times Square, they made their way to 44th Street where the rest of the Laois crew were gathering.
Among them were Mike Dunphy, the Ballinakill native, who for many years has flown the Laois flag in New York. His family of children, in-laws and grandchildren were all out in force too, carrying on an Irish-American tradition to the next generation.
We also chatted with Shane McEvoy and his family; Shane’s dad Larry was a legendary figure in Irish circles in New York too prior to his death.
Larry’s wife Judy – who had also been in the Irish American Historical Society for the Timahoe choir gig on Saturday – is also a parade regular and Shane jokes that he first went in the St Patrick’s Day parade when he was in the womb – and in swaddling blankets the following year.
Seamus Foynes from Clonaslee also tells us about his New York experience and his love for his home club and county.
As well as that we meet sisters Deirdre Bergin and Eithne Bergin-Thorne, whose father Martin was from near Portlaoise. He came out to New York in 1953, met his Donegal-born wife in 1957 and married in 1959.
Eithne’s son Joseph is part of the New York St Patrick’s Day formation committee.
We also chat with sister and brother duo Vera Gallagher (nee Simpson) and Vinny Simpson, whose mum was Peggy Drennan from Cullohill.
Michael Rainey, the CEO of Laois County Council, and Cllr Padraig Fleming, the current Cathaoirleach, attend on the invitation of the Laois Association.
The scale of the event only really becomes apparent when the parade turns on to 5th Avenue, with huge crowds on either side of the street.
‘Go Laois’ and ‘Happy St Patrick’s Day’ are roared regularly from the crowd. The nature of the parade means its style is stop-start and at one break, a woman, watching on from near Trump Tower and just down from the Plaza Hotel, gets the attention of the Timahoe Male Choir and screams ‘sing us a song’.
These lads don’t need a second invitation and they duly belt out ‘This is my Homeland’. A short while later they’re giving it socks for ‘Lovely Laois’, and they repeat it again moments later when they stop at the Fox News recording stand.
The Laois group, including the choir, are captured live on American TV.
It’s no time before the WhatsApps are buzzing from people who have tuned in at home – including a video from original choir members Karol Ramsbottom and Padraig Clancy (who haven’t made the trip) doing their own bit of marching in the pub back in Timahoe.
While the bodies are beginning to ache, it’s over before we know it, ending 40 blocks up the way on 82nd.
After that the group scatters in every direction. But it’s another epic moment chalked down on this trip of trips.
It really is one to tell the grandchildren about.
Our photographer Paul Dargan was on hand to capture a selection of images and we’ll have more coverage across the coming days.
SEE ALSO – Check out all our weekend St Patrick’s Day coverage from New York
