There was a friendly welcome from the Windy City for the Taoiseach when he flew in this weekend but it was not quite as ecstatic as the reception given to a distinguished predecessor, one Eamon de Valera.
Recounting the story at an Irish-American dinner, Brian Cowen quoted historian David Hannigan’s account of Dev’s Chicago visit back in 1919 when he was seeking US support for Irish independence.
Just as the Sole Surviving Commandant of the Easter Rising started to speak, six of the guests “manhandled him up on their shoulders” and paraded him between the tables for a full 15 minutes. Even Dev himself got into the spirit of things, “waving a tiny Stars and Stripes in one hand and a tiny Tricolour in the other”.
They didn’t carry Brian Cowen around on their shoulders when he came to Chicago but at least they allowed him lead off the St Patrick’s parade in the company of Mayor Richard M. Daley, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, Parade Grand Marshal Bob Ryan and Irish Ambassador to the US, Michael Collins.
Let’s face it, there hasn’t been much fun in Cowen’s political life in the last two years, so he could be excused for looking somewhat chuffed to be at the head of this massive celebration of Irishness.
Although it’s news back home, the US media does not drop everything as it rushes to cover the visit of an Irish Taoiseach, although one resident journalist covering the parade ventured that it was “pretty cool” to have the head of government over from Dublin for the occasion.
The Chicago Sun-Times lamented in an editorial that the feast of Ireland's national saint had "morphed" into a gigantic booze-up in the US, but there was a touch of the old-time religion about the ceremony in the church known as Old St Patrick's which was attended by the Taoiseach earlier in the morning.
Given his regular forecasts of doom if his government’s policies are not implemented, it was perhaps appropriate that Mr Cowen should be asked to give a reading from the Prophet Isaiah.
Solemn religious ritual mixed with exuberant civic pride when the Shannon Rovers Pipe Band marched into the church at the end of the ceremony, belting out such airs as “Let Erin Remember” and “The Rising of the Moon”.
Shortly afterwards, the Chicago River was dyed green for the day and, just over an hour later, the Taoiseach and the Mayor led off the parade at Grant Park, site of the epic celebration when Barack Obama won the presidency all of 16 months ago.
While there were some sights that would seem strange to the folks back home, such as two hapless dogs who had been sprayed green, the damp, soggy weather would have been all too familiar. “A good Irish day,” quipped the Taoiseach.
Youngsters from the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance tripped bravely through their routines despite the drizzle. A military contingent marched in desert combat fatigues. There was also a trolley-car from a pub and restaurant which shares its name with a leading Irish quality newspaper.
It was a good day for Brian Cowen and if the good folk of Chicago could vote in Irish general elections, he would have relatively little to worry about.
