Evening star., 1943-03-21
Capital Side|ights
By viii P. Kennedy.

st. Patrick's Day was celebrated In
Each year some prominent member Of
Irish extraction takes the floor and
heralds the achievements of the race.
This year it was Representative O'Brien
of New York At the suggestion of 80
House members, 18 congressional secre-
taries and 81 other employees, his re-
marks are quoted in this column:
Mr.. Speaker, Members of the House ::
May on this glorious morning March
II, salute you as true descendent Of
st. Patrick with Top O the morning, a
Cajamathu and an Erin go brath-
begorrs!
TT is not necessary for me to tell you
that I am joined in these salutations by
every member of this House of Irish ex-
traction. 1t is true and as proven from
generation to generation there is no ma
tionality in the world that owes so much
to this country as the fighting Irish owe
to the land of their adoption, the United
States of America.
Every honest. sincere, loyal, patriotic
American Of Irish extraction not only on
this st. Patrick's Day but on every day
falls to his knees and thanks God for the
opportunities he has been given. Every
red-blooded, tWo-isted. square shooting.
hard-hitting Irishman is willing to give
his last drop of blood in defense of the
ideals traditions, precepts, policies, and
free institutions that have made life so
dear to him in America Absolute proof
of this statement is borne out by the
Sullivan boys of Iowa and many other
Irish-Americans VINO have made the
supreme sacrifice in this war and other
wars that our form of government may
continue.
In greeting you this morning, you are
acutely conscious of the undisputed fact
that the OBriens were the noblest of all
Kings of Ireland. and on the left side of
the House We have the O,Haras, the
Welches, the Gavins, the Kearneys, and
the Culkins, brave men all lieutenants
In the great army of King OBrien.
On the right side of the House, we
greet those three well-known Irishmen
from Texas, brave Milton Michael
OWest, Spanish-speaking Richard the
Lionhearted O'Kleberg and the famous
fighting OKilday.
Inc irish, as you know, are a gen.
erous race. Therefore, we salute the
numerous sons of old Erin-on the ma
jority side of the aisle such as-the
Merritts, the Lynches. the Gavagans, the
Cullens, the Curleys, the Fitzpatrick the
O'Tooles, the OLearys and the OCon-
nors. and being most generous we will
mention the Keoghs, the Fays, the Ken
nedys, the Harris, the Nortons and the
Flannagans. We will not overlook the
Cochrans the Fogartys, the Maddens, the
Kirwans, the Murphys, the O'Neals, the
Kellys, the Delaneys. Yes, the McGran-
erys and the Bradleys, and we pay par
ticular attention to that stalwart Sui
hvan of Nevada, who is the honorary
chairman of the Five Sullivan Brothers
Foundation.
Eyes, last but not least, that great
counterfeit Irishman, my distinguished
friend, Pat Cannon of Florida
I'VE have not purposely left out the
OBriens Of Chicago and the O'Briens
Of Detroit, but please remember they are
merely O'Briens and in no way as
scciated either conspicuously or remotely
with The OBriens. We were the kings
of Ireland
There was time when the McCor-
macks tried to assert themselves as
leaders in good old Erin. These bog
trotting, shillelagh- -f1inging, banshee-
bowling McCormacks shouted from the
housetops that they owned the Lakes of
Killarney. The truth of the matter,
Mr.. Speaker, is these McCormacks now
known as Boston Irish, did receive priv
ileges from the OBriens to use these
beautiful Lakes of Killarney, and we're
told very definitely and emphatically ov
one Of my ancestors that they could
bathe and wash their clothes in these
lakes. The astounding and sensational
part of this confidential information to
you members of the House is that at no
time were they ever accused of abusing
these privileges.
1T has been our extreme pleasure to
name three distinguished gentlemen
each year who have made great con-
tributions to the Irish cause, and in