The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-03-14
BY THE OUT EASTER

While Waterbury has a large Roman Catholic population, and
 many churches of that faith, 1t Is surprising how few there are fully acquainted with tho history of the church in the state, and even of Waterbury itself. The closeneSs of Saint Patrick's Day makes us think of the celebrations of this particular occasion in the, days of long ago when all of the Irishmen Of the city were excused from their places of employment for proper observance Of the event.
 The Irish then were mostly reSi- dents of old Out East, the Abrt- gador, Brooklyn, and Burnt Hill. There were a fGw in the west end, but not many. T'he old. Catho. lie temperance organizations was in existence, and so were several bodies of the Ancient Order of Hlbernians. The Temperance So- ciety was made up of such high type Irishmen as the late John Thompson, of old Dublin Street, Dennis IT. Tierney of real estate fame, William Milton of Orange Street, Pat Maher. for years head of the construction division of the Waterbury Gas Company, Henry Byrnes of Out East, and others just like them, good and true men, recognized as sub- stantial and good living citizens, and highly respected by people of all classes. These men were a monument to the Irish of Wa terbury, we have often thought. The HibernianS were made up of other Irishmen who came after the ones mentioned. They or- ganized, and the various divi- sions extended into nearly every home in the city, in which the Irish were a part. For instance take the annual state parade held here around the latter part of the nineties, we think it was 1897, when IriShmen from all parts of the state assembled, attended Mass at the old church of the Im- maculate Conception, listened to an able address on the part of Rev. William J. Slocum, one of the finest speakers of the Hart ford diocese, and then followed with a parade that took the mem- bers to all parts of the city. Bands by the dozen blazed forth with their Irish medleyS, and military tunes from the Civil War. East Main Street, in front of the old church, was damned with people and traffic was at a standstill until after the parade formation, and the order given by the mar shal, Forward, march,"
 And oh, what a day for the Irish; every house on the Hill, The Abrigador, had the American flag and Irish flag suspended from the front porch, and the same was true of all of the homes in Brooklyn and also Out East. It was certainly a great day for the Irish. but not any more so than the St. Patrick's day of years be- fore when the late Major Charles R. Bannon, astride the whitest of white horses, headed a parade that travelled every highway and back-alley in the Abrigador and also in the eastern part of the city, including Dublin and Silver Streets.
 St. Patrick's day is close at hand, but we'll see no parade celebration this year, any more than We have seen for a good many years past. The spirit seems lacking, just why. We can- not explain. The Irish of old never seemed to forget; expense was secondary in the matter of band music and proper observ- ance. We may have a banquet or two, but that is about all. The Patrick 6arsfield club used to hold banquet at The Elton years ago. We can never forget the words of the late Judds of the hotel, who declared, the next day that "the Sarsiield club dinner was one of the best ever held in the hotel" The Irish were full of life. and story. and happy at the large number present, Toasts were given from the champagne bottle, and not from the beer bottle. The best Is never too good for the Irish on st. Patrlck's day.
 . The othege day in Bristol. at a Communion breakfast. Leo J. Bowling. Q Hartford lawyer, ex- plaiued that the first Catholic Church Of Connecticut was es- tabllshed in Hartford In 1918. It was formerly an Episcopal edifice. Ne also said that iA 1899 there ware oniv nina nrlaatR in Con-