2012 South Side Irish Parade Destroys the Narrative of 2009

The Chicago Tribune can not give credit to this community without a return to the narrative that pulled the plug on this tradition:


Here is the Headline and banner South Side Irish Parade returns to its family-friendly roots
Community's St. Patrick's Day event was called off in '09 after violence and drunkenness 350,000 people and 545 arrests?

Violence and drunkenness? There were fights and there were drunks aplenty, but to characterize an event that became a political panderer showcase and a fern-bar bus trip from all over the Midwest is ridiculous.

That said, this year's parade was sensational. There were strollers filled with babies, as opposed to coolers on wheels.

The buses were consigned to a resitricted area. People went to the parade.

I got home from mass at about 12 Noon and the parade was in full form. I parked in my drive way without problem. I surveyed the property of Casa Hickey. No problema. In years past, bus loads of mopes half stiff already would be dumped off on the CSX rail line infron of my house from 6:30 AM - 10 AM. The buses came from Scahumber, River North fern bars, and every abbreviated set of letters before some Mick Name ( D.J. McMopes, T.R. Weinie Wines, Q. T. Mc Toss-Lunch & etc) establishment with a liquor license. They would hail the neighbors with "Lighten up, Dude! Get your Chi-Rish On!"

This year none of that and more so there was a complete abscense of post-boozing detritus. One mope was busted for public pee-ing.

There was not one empty bottle, can or shattered plastic picture. No discarded Solo Cups and no pathetically inebriated hipsters trying to hail a cab in a neighborhood where people take the bus.

James "Skinny" Sheahan affetcted this change and shattered the snotty narrative crafted by a media that had a huge role in making the South Side Irish Parade a feast of all slobs.

Well done South Side Irish Parade Committee and well done neighbors.