Farewell to Malachy

St. Pat’s for All is saddened by the loss this week of our “Godfather” and staunch supporter, Malachy McCourt, who never missed a St Pat’s for All Parade. He and his three brothers were parade Grand Marshals together on our stage in 2006.

Anyone who saw him over the years at our St. Pat’s for All concerts at the Irish Arts Center got an insight into his wit and intelligence, and a demonstration of his ability to lead a sing-along of his signature tune “Wild Mountain Thyme/Will Ye Go Lassie Go” (which according to his son Conor, he was listening to when he died). He would always end the song with one of his favorite sayings: ”Live each day as if it’s your last, because one day you’ll be right.”

Malachy’s radical politics matched with our mission of “cherishing all the children of the nation equally” — his anti-war efforts, his marches against nuclear weapons madness, his Green Party run for Governor of New York — all his campaigns were loud and clear. There will never be another Malachy.

Many excellent obituaries are available on-line, particularly in The Washington Post and the New York Times, so we won’t repeat all that information here. Just know that we loved him and we will miss him.  

Malachy wrote in his last memoir Death need Be Not Fatal:  “I am an atheist, thank God, with no fear of hell and no hope of heaven.”

Go n-éirí an bóthar leat.

The Board and Committee of St. Pat’s for All.