I RECALL A ST.PADDY'S CELEBRATION WITH A FEW FRIENDS BACK IN THE 60'S IN GRAND RAPIDS,MI. MY FRIENDS WERE ALL CURRENTLY ATTENDING COLLEGE [AQUINAS COLLEGE] PLUS WE WERE OLDER. MANY OF US HAD RECENTLY BEEN DISCHARGDED FROM THE MILITARY SO WE DIDN'T FIT THE TYPICAL COLLEGIATE DESCRIPTION.

ONE OF OUR NUMBER WAS A FELLOW BY THE NAME OF KEN MAGUIRE. KEN WAS FROM IRELAND AND HIS FATHER WAS ACTIVE IN THE 1916 EASTER UPRISING. SO WE ALL GET TO CELEBRATE OVER BEERS AND ANIMATED DISCUSSION..WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE KEN SAYS:" LOOK AT THE LOT OF YOU..ALL SINGING IRISH SONGS AND THE LIKE..BUT WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE NEEDED YOU?"

I RESPONDED WITH :"WELL KEN NONE OF US WERE BORN BEFORE 1916...AND IF YR REFERRING TO MAYBE UN PLEASANTNESS AFTER THAT I DUNNO..I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF..2 YRS AGO I WAS IN CHARGE OF A DETAIL IN S. KOREA CLEARING OLD MINE FIELDS LEFT BEHIND BY OUR TROOPS OUTSIDE OF PUSAN REPUBLIC OF KOREA.I NEVER THOUGHT OF ASKING WHERE YOU WERE."

SO ENDED A GALA EVENING OF GOOD FELLOWSHIP AND IRISH CHEER.