Back in 1969, Pat and I, along with our friends Bob and Mimi O’Hanlon began throwing a St. Patrick’s Day party, which became an annual event that lasted 25 years! The Malones and O’Hanlons were just two of many, many large Irish families who grew up in La Grange, IL, in the 1960’s. Most were members of St. Francis parish. All seven of my sister-in-Iaws attended Nazareth Academy. Pat & his brother Bill attended LTHS, and his younger brothers attended Benet Academy after his mom was widowed and moved to Downers Grove.
But I digress from the history of the party. A party we attended thrown by friends of Bob’s parents, Bob, Sr. & Janet, inspired us. That group was having such a great time, dancing, and singing Irish songs, reciting limericks, etc. We decided that very night we wanted to have a party like that the following St. Pat’s Day.
In actuality, Mimi was more French than Irish; Pat half German & ½ Irish, I was 100% Lithuanian, only Bob was FBI (full-blooded Irish), as they say, on both sides of his family.
The first year, in an effort to be unique, we sent out engraved invitations, never imagined what a monster we were creating. The invitations soon began to carry a theme for the party, which became more and more elaborate each year.
The O’Hanlons and Malones gathered weeks in advance to plan the initiations.
Party plans came down to a formula after the first few years, oh but those invitations!
A leprechaun, known as “loveable Uncle Seamus”, became our party mascot, appearing on most of the invitations.
Themes included an Irish wake, the year Mayor Daley died, a Gong show, with party goers providing the acts, an “Alternative Olympics”, the year the U.S. pulled out of the official Olympics held in Moscow, “Who shot S.P. (St. Patrick)?” a play on Mission Impossible and who shot J.R.? The list goes on and on.
From year one we asked guests to wear green and write an original limerick. We alternated holding the party at the Malone’s house on odd years, and at the O’Hanlon’s house on even years. Prizes were given for best limericks, which were judged by the official applause-0- meter (Pat’s arm). There was a special prize for first time limerick writers, or worst limerick, but the coveted first prize was always the Green Weenie award, a traveling trophy, (don’t ask). Bob provided the Irish sing-a-longs on his guitar, accompanied by Pat on his bongo drums.
After year one, when we actually served corned beef sandwiches, cole slaw, green jello molds, and elaborate appetizers; we realized it was a much too sophisticated menu for our group. (Try scrapping jello off the floor the next morning). Every year thereafter, the menu became, pretzels, beer (green or plain), wine, ham buns and large dill pickles. The menu was such a hit that Mimi and I soon found we were making 200 sandwiches a year. By the time we were serving “dinner” it consisted more of tossing sandwiches on a plate with a pickle, but oh what fun.
A few weeks ago, a friend called to ask for my recipe for ham buns. Christine answered the phone and told her sorry, but it was an old family recipe that we don’t share, and she’s right. There are dozens of variations, but you’ve got to marry into the Malone or O’Hanlon family to get the “official” recipe. Kim O’Hanlon was the first to receive this precious shower gift.
(HINT: It’s always a good idea to buy extra ingredients to hide in the freezer for lunch the next day because ham buns never keep, no matter how many you make.)
Our biggest problem was getting up early enough in the morning to take down the limericks off the prize wall. Some years we didn’t make it. (Add this to a list of things entitled, “Don’t tell mom OR dad!”) But how joyful the years the party was held at the O’Hanlons and Pat and I got to sleep in.
So for those of you who put up with all of our antics over the years, thanks for all the fun we enjoyed together. As for Bob and Mimi, perhaps you remember the Academy Award theme when we awarded ourselves, “Best Party Hosts Ever”? All these years later, I still have to convince people that I’m not Irish, I just impersonated an Irish person for twenty-five years.
We’ve got albums full of pictures, and we’ll try to get a few posted next weekend when Mike is back to help.