By Jeanette DeForge | jdeforge@repub.com
HOLYOKE – As the 73rd St. Patrick’s parade kicked off Sunday, celebrants were reminded that much of the city and the nation was built by people from other countries — and that progress continues today due to contributions from migrants and immigrants.
Ambassador Award winner Katie Taylor, an Olympic gold medalist and world champion boxer representing Ireland, announced she recently became a United States citizen during a breakfast held just before marchers stepped off for the three-hour parade.
“I’m so proud every time single time I step into the ring to represent my country. It’s such an honor,” Taylor said, adding that Ireland has created many world class fighters and is proud of its rebellious spirit as an underdog.
The Ambassador Award honors someone who fosters relationships between the two countries.
Taylor joked that people in Ireland tease her for being a traitor with her new U.S. citizenship, but Taylor said she has met so many remarkable people in the United States and is proud to be connected to both countries.
U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, whose family hailed from Ireland and who was instrumental in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, talked about the many Irish immigrants and their contributions to Massachusetts.
“I call attention to that because of the issue we have today before us of immigration. We are not going to solve this issue by hollering at each other,” Neal said.
He and Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia reminded people that Irish immigrants did not come to the United States in comfort. They came out of desperation and were often not welcomed, were blamed for creating poverty and turned away from jobs because they were Irish.
“We need to build a path to citizenship to welcome those who want to be Americans. It is part of our story and we should be the last people to pull up the drawbridge on that argument,” Neal said.
He reminded listeners that three Irishmen were among the 56 who signed the Declaration of Independence, 23 of 47 presidents are of Irish heritage and many ordinary citizens organized labor unions and fought for safe working conditions.
Sighle FitzGerald, consul general of Ireland, continued that theme in remarks at the breakfast. In a nod to the United States’ 250th anniversary this year, she noted that nearly half the Continental Army was of Irish descent.
“Some were inspired by ideals of America and for others it was just a simple matter of survival. This country proved to be a generous new home for them full of possibility and promise,” FitzGerald said.
In turn, the Irish built canals, schools and dams, they protected the public as police and firefighters, they contributed to the arts and are now making headway into sports, she said.
“I can only imagine those troops, Irish born, many of Irish descent, how proud they would feel to see us now, Ireland and America, 250 years later celebrating our ties as two sovereign and independent states,” she said.
Parade organizers did not ignore others who came to Holyoke, especially where the majority of residents are now Hispanic and most of them hail from Puerto Rico. The mayor marched with a sash that read Holyoke Mayor on the front and the Spanish translation, “el alcalde,” on the back. Several city councilors and School Committee members are all from the island.
“We celebrate more than tradition. We celebrate connection, we celebrate cultural pride, good will, the enduring bond between Ireland and Irish American communities and at previous events I’ve always shared the proud history between the bond of the Irish and Puerto Ricans,” Garcia said.
As part of that, Bomba de Aquí performed traditional Puerto Rican music, while the colleen and her court, the grand marshal and others danced to Latin rhythms.
