By Frank Cull
The feud that simmers between the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and members of some of the Emerald Societies has, once again, heated up.
The Jack Clark (past president of the Grand Council of Emeralds and the NYC Department of Correction Emeralds) Coalition, also known as the Ad-Hoc Committee To Save The St. Patrick’s Day Parade, has contacted the offices of the State Attorney General. Attorney General Spitzer has instituted a unit to investigate complaints against public officials, labor unions and non-profit organizations. Clark’s committee plans, once again, to study the administration and table of organization of the parade. The committee also plans to study the use of parade funds for the last 10 years.
The question again arises as to what it takes for the Ford Motor Company to lead the parade every year, despite its former reputation of job discrimination in Northern Ireland and its position on the MacBride Principles. The Knights of St. Patrick are also waiting for a financial statement.
Emeralds banned
The other Emerald Coalition is headed by Brian Sharkey and Michael Lavelle. Both are members of the Frank Beirne Div. 9, New York County of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Sharkey is a past president of the Grand Council of Emeralds and is currently the president of the NYC Department of Correction Emerald Society. Lavelle is a past president of the NYC Transit Police Emerald Society and is currently a vice president for the Grand Council.
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Last year, the Sharkey-Lavelle team questioned Parade Chairman John Dunleavy about the Parade Constitution — when it was drafted and how come no one knew about it. Sharkey pressed the issue and Dunleavy’s response was that it was public knowledge. Lavelle then challenged the parade chairman to list where this information was published, i.e. newspapers, at a meeting, letters to delegates, letters to their organizations? Was there a Constitutional Revision Committee? Who approved the constitution and bylaws and any changes?
When unable to answer the inquiry, Dunleavy brought the meeting to an abrupt end, Sharkey and Lavelle said. Apparently for voicing their objections, Sharkey and Lavelle were recently thrown out of Div. 9. At a membership meeting, Frank McGrail made a motion from the floor to have Sharkey and Lavelle transferred to another AOH division, an obvious payback for questioning the tactics of Dunleavy (who is a member of Div. 9) and Parade Secretary James Barker.
The motion passed unanimously and the division refused to accept their 1999 membership dues. This, of course, was a blatant violation of the constitution and bylaws of the AOH. Recently, they were told they could stay in Div. 9. Since the motion was passed and recorded in the minutes of the meeting, Lavelle and Sharkey want their reinstatement in writing.
Their sin is simply wanting the democratic process and for the parade membership to have a say in everything. At the top of their agenda is the return of the democratic process in both selecting the grand marshal of the parade, as well as electing the chairman of the march, and a "say" in what direction the parade is headed. Fortunately for Jack Clark, he’s a member of AOH Div. 7 in New York County and not Div. 9.
Other members of that Coalition questioned how Barker was appointed executive secretary to the parade. A member of the MABSTOA Emeralds noted: "Barker has never served on the executive board of parade officers, was never a delegate and never even attended a parade meeting. All of a sudden, he’s the parade secretary, bypassing dedicated men and women who have served the parade over the years and weren’t even considered for the post." Another beef brought out by a member of both coalitions was the autocratic and dictatorial appointments of honorary parade chairmen without any executive board of membership approval.
Knights, Friends and trustees
First we had The Knights of St. Patrick, who enjoyed the privilege of having their aide to the grand marshal added to the list of parade aides without being a dues-paying member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a necessary prerequisite for every other parade aide.
Now we have the Friends of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celebration Committee, whose sole responsibility seems to be making a sizable donation to the parade committee. An aide to the grand marshal, who requested anonymity, boycotted the parade dinner at the Sheraton Center on Feb. 18, because these "Friends of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade" installed James O’Connor, the president of the Ford Motor Division as a trustee.
"We all know Ford’s position on the MacBride Principles," said the visibly upset aide. "Who voted for these people? How were they selected for this new title and designation?" Also named trustees were Timothy Ahern, Brian Leeney and Jerome McDougal, another trio of new faces.
Who are these Friends of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade? Who are these trustees and how many of them are strolling around in tri-color sashes? The problem here is very simple. The parade committee answers to no one, least of all its executive board of officers and the Irish-American organizations that make up and march in the Parade.
Post the marchers
On Sunday, March 14, the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade line of march is to appear in a pull-out supplement in the New York Post. This is the same newspaper that was boycotted by the NYC Police Department Emerald Society. On March 18, 1997, a cartoon appeared in the tabloid which the then president, Ray McGowan, called insulting, derogatory, and racist. It depicted the inside of a NYC Police Stationhouse after the parade. It showed the on-desk sergeant with an ice pack on his head. Members of their bagpipe band were depicted in an obvious intoxicated state with one band member balancing an ice pack on his busby. Empty bottles were strewn about the room as two gay leprechauns celebrated their release from jail as well as "coming out of the closet." An "Aspirin Wanted" poster hung from the wall and a balloon that read "NYPD Emerald Society" rested on the ceiling.