TAOISEACH IN NEW YORK

Taoiseach in New York

P. J. Lennon

American Feature, The Nationalist and Leinster Times 11 September 1948

In contrast to the visit of Mr. de Valera to this country some time ago, there were no bands or huge crowds to greet the arrival of Prime Minister John A. Costello. With his wife, Mr. Sean Nunan, Irish Consul, and his Aide, Comdt. Michael Byrne, the Irish premier attended a Solemn High Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday. Cardinal Spellman presided. And Right Rev. Msgr. Joseph A. Flannery, Adm. of the Cathedral, extended an official welcome to Mr. Costello “as a truly patriotic citizen of Ireland and a representative of the Irish people.” Mr. Costello afterwards lunched with the Cardinal, and left by train for Montreal, Canada.

At Croke Park

With two Kildare friends, Tom Conlon (Newbridge) and Mike Kelly (Monasterevin), we attended the games at Croke Park on Sunday. In the Cork-Offaly hurling contest the ball was thrown-in by Fr. Michael Kerwick, of Callan, Co. Kilkenny. Fr. Kerwick stayed over for the games, being on his way to New Orleans. The referee was Gus Fitzpatrick, famous Kilkenny hurler. Offaly won, as did the Cavan football team over Philadelphia. Mr. Conlon intends to visit his native kildare around the second week of September for a six weeks stay. The “Short Grass” County needs no introduction to any of the Conlon family.

Another old Kildare friend, your writer is glad to report, is doing well on our capital city, Washington, as an employee of the Federal Government. He is Val O’Grady from Kildare Town. Val completed his education in De La Salle College, Waterford, and taught school for some years in his native land. A keen supporter of every Irish ideal, he was well-known for his political stand on Irish affairs. Coming to Chicago he did trojan work for the G.A.A. in that city, and was a regular correspondent of “The Irish Advocate.” Kildare can well be proud of the Conlon and O’Grady families.

Caught in the Draft

The United States Army started calls on August 30, and asked for the induction of ten thousand men by November. The first call to register are those born after August 30, 1922, and so on down to youths of 18 years. Those with intentions to come and live permanently in this country would do well to seek the advice of the American Consul in Ireland as to their status, and not be in for a rude awakening.

The Co. Laois boys and girls are already surging into action for their social season. Their first dance, in aid of the African Mission Fathers, is being held at the Bradford Hotel, on October 23. Mike Bennett, an active member, is expecting to visit his native Clonaslee in the near future, and witness one of the All-Irelands.

Note: In 1952, Irish ambassador to the US John Hearne sent a small bowl of shamrocks to President Harry S. Truman to mark St. Patrick’s Day. This was an extraordinary diplomatic coup and would lead to decades of an open-door policy to the White House, which continues to this day. Four years after that first bowl of shamrocks was delivered Taoiseach John A. Costello was received in the White House by President Dwight D. Eisenhower for St. Patrick’s Day.

The Green and the White House. Ireland and the US presidents, Lynn Kelleher