HOPE E. TREMBLAY
As I write this column, it’s Thursday night. I’ve been sitting here with my laptop and a glass of wine waiting for the call that schools in Westfield and Southwick are closing to help keep the spread of coronavirus to a minimum.
I’m updating our paper’s Facebook page with cancellation after cancellation. School plays, library events, field trips, local spring sports — all postponed or canceled. Then I saw that Disney World is closed for the remainder of the month.
Things. Just. Got. Real.
What do we do when the happiest place on earth shuts down? Well, keep washing your hands, for one. Keep avoiding crowds when possible or spreading your own germs if you’re sick. But don’t stop living your life all together. It’s just common sense, really.
COVID-19 is real and it’s here and it’s spreading fast. I’m no alarmist, but we do need to take precautions to avoid becoming like Italy. We don’t want a forced shut-down. We don’t want to be New Rochelle and not be able to leave the confines of our cities and towns. But we do want to err on the side of caution, sensibly.
If you need two weeks’ worth of toilet paper, by all means buy it if you can find it, but don’t buy two months’ worth and leave nothing for the rest of us. (As I write this I have it on good authority there is still toilet paper at Ocean State Job Lot. Hand sanitizer is another thing).
If it wasn’t for the virus, this column would have focused on St. Patrick’s Day, so in following my own advice to live life, I want to acknowledge my love of St. Paddy’s Day and all things related, including the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade.
I used to be a regular at the parade. For many years I watched with friends, and would head to The Wherehouse afterwards, which had numerous post-parade parties. We always made a stop at the party of former state Sen. Mike Knapik, who touted himself as Mike O’Knapik on parade day. And then, of course, we hit the firefighter’s party.
When I worked at the Holyoke Sun, “Parade Season” was my favorite time of year. It started with the parade committee award announcements, the colleen competition and Colleen Ball and many pre-parade events. Luckily, green is my favorite color because I attended SO many parade-related events that I practically had an entire green Parade Season wardrobe.
When our office was located on High Street, we had parties on parade day, opening up the office to colleagues, family and friends. When the office moved off the parade route, I joined friends who lived off Northampton Street for the festivities. Over the years, we began celebrating by hosting a parade-watching party at home. Family and friends come over on Sunday morning for corned beef sandwiches, Irish soda bread, beverages and more. My kids have been raised to appreciate our Irish heritage and celebrate the fun of St. Paddy’s Day. And yes, I always dressed them in green and brought them to the Sons of Erin since, well, since they were born.
I’m Irish and proud, and to this day I enjoy covering the Sons of Erin’s parade-related events. The Westfield Colleen Ball always kicks-off the Wearin’ ‘O the Green and heralds the coming of the High Holy Month. And while some consider the idea of a colleen antiquated, it is steeped in tradition and I clearly remember interviewing one young woman many years ago who said she wanted to be the colleen to represent the struggles that Irish immigrants overcame; the racism they endured; the sickness that swept through the Irish community; the pride of those who survived hardship.
This year, the season is clouded by the cancellation of the parade, but the city’s Irish will still celebrate in smaller fashion, for that’s what the proud, hearty Irish do. So, wear your green, whether you’re Irish or just Irish for the day, and raise a pint and celebrate the struggles overcome by our brave Irish ancestors. And know that this, too, shall pass.
Slainte!
