Tuesday, March 21, 2000
St. Patrick helps many have fun
BY JIM KNIPPENBERG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Wrapping up a few odds, ends and oddments from a festive St. Patrick's Day weekend.
BOYS' NIGHT OUT: The city's biggest was the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick's 132nd annual banquet, a noisy little do for about 600 at Music Hall Ballroom.
All men, (ex-Mayor Roxanne Qualls is the only female who ever attended) it's a raucous throwback to days when no one worried about how much cholesterol lurked in the filet and, gasp, had another martini.
Tons of politicians, here, but little politicking: “More here than in the legislature,” said former Ohio State Senate president Stan Aronoff, seated between former Ohio Gov. John Gilligan — “I'm running,” he responded when someone told him he looked good, “from almost everyone” — and Councilman Jim Tarbell, in a multicolored metal tie made of zirconia.
Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, was there, ditto Hamilton County Sheriff Si Leis, Rep. Rob Portman, R-Terrace Park, City Manager John Shirey and Mayor Charlie Luken.
Which brings up a sad note: Champagne arrived already open, ending the tradition of guests popping corks at each other. Luken was happy about it: “Nice to see the bottles open,” he announced. “The last time I was here, they played hit the mayor in the head with champagne corks. Good aim, boys.”
Most frequently heard comment? “This is good fish.” Which happens when a heavily Catholic crowd eats filet mignon on a Lenten Friday. (They had a dispensation).
They didn't have a dispensation to smoke in the non-smoking room, but lots did anyway: Cigars, mostly, including high-end jobs from Celestial manager John McLean: “What are they going to do? Arrest us?” asked table host Ray Carr.
SURPRISE GUESTS: Then there's the wedding — the Irish-themed Mark Marron/Dinah O'Toole job Eye wrote about last week. Seems there were a few surprise guests, including a saint.
That would be the 100-year-old statue of St. Patrick from Mount Adams' Church of the Immaculata — the one the Hibernians kidnap every year and parade about to hype the St. Patrick's Day parade.
Anyway, Marron wanted the goodly saint at his wedding, so he cut a deal with the Rev. Stan Neiheisel whereby friends would pick it up in a truck, scurry to Newport and make a grand entrance at the reception Saturday.
Which they did, to thunderous applause and any number of guests offering the saint a beer.
Marron had to take out a $100,000 insurance policy to get the statue out, and have him back in time for Sunday's 8 a.m. Mass. Try that the morning after.
SURPRISE WEDDING: How about a wedding 300 people went to Friday thinking it was a St. Patrick's Day party?
Anne Bradley and Jim Thoman have had a St. Pat's do — bagpipes, DJ — at their Price Hill home for five years. This was different.
Bradley got friends there at 7 p.m. (9 p.m. is the usual time) by telling them it was the party's last year and that there would be group photos. Before it got late and guests started looking, uh, non-photogenic.
But it wasn't a group photo. It was Bradley and Thoman's wedding, a complete surprise to the guests, who were relieved to learn it was a lie about this being the party's last year.
There followed, what else?, a St. Pat-themed reception.
Knip's Eye View appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Have an item to report? Call Jim Knippenberg at 768-8513; fax: 768-8330.
KNIPPENBERG ARCHIVE
