ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS

MEMORIAL DAY AND WHAT IT MEANS TO US

eneral John A. Logan
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B8172- 6403 DLC (b&w film neg.)]
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

General John A. Logan Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B8172- 6403 DLC (b&w film neg.)]

President Of Ireland Visits Yonkers


His first official tour of the United States brought Ireland's new president, Michael Higgins, to this city Wednesday to visit a community center for Irish immigants.

Joined by a cadre of aides and security personnel, Higgins spent an hour at the Aisling Irish Community Center on McLean Avenue meeting with top Yonkers officials and center staff. A small crowd gathered outside to snap photos as he arrived in a small motorcade.

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Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano later presented Higgins with a key to the city.

"There is great warmth and friendliness, and humanity" here, Higgins said.

The Aisling center helps Irish immigrants acclimate to life in the U.S. with services ranging from aerobics classes to language instruction to psychological counseling. Many of its clients have fled staggering levels of unemployment in their once-booming home country.

Therese Cornyn is a native of County Longford who recently moved to Yonkers with her family in search of work. Wednesday, she brought her two daughters, ages 2 and 4, to the Aisling center for a glimpse of the new president.

"I thought it would be a good bit of history for the little ones," she said.

Higgins had a message for Irish immigrants like her: "I am elected as president for all of the Irish, wherever they may be," he said, "and I'm encouraging them to stay in touch with us."

Higgins was elected to a seven-year term as president in October and took office in Dublin in November. The Irish presidency is largely a ceremonial post.

Higgins is spending four days in New York and two days in Boston. He attended a reception at his country's consulate in New York City on Monday before meeting Mayor Michael Bloomberg and visiting the downtown 9/11 memorial Tuesday

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