SCENES INCIDENT TO BUTTE'S GREAT CELEBRATION OF ST. PATRICK'S DAY / Irish, German and Austrian Societies Unite in Tribute to St. Patrick's Memory

The Butte Miner, Butte, 1915-03-18, p.1

Summary

Banner front-page coverage of Butte's 1915 St. Patrick's Day parade and observance — the previous day, Wednesday March 17. Two large parade photographs: top photo captioned "Leaving St. Mary's church, where [mass] was celebrated"; bottom photo captioned "Head of the parade marching down [...] Main street." KEY POLITICAL FRAMING: Irish, German, AND Austrian Butte societies UNITED in the day's tribute. The Hibernians (AOH), the German societies, and the Austrian-Hungarian organisations marched together — a striking pre-war (April 1917 US entry) Butte alignment when Irish-Americans and Central-Powers immigrants found common ground in opposition to the British Empire and its blockade. "There was not an incident of bigotry of any kind to mark the [event]. There was a uniting in declaring the celebration to be the greatest in the history of Butte." PARADE COMPOSITION: Sheriff Charles E. Henderson and his deputies headed the parade as a courtesy escort. The Hibernians met at their hall on North Main Street at 9:30 a.m.; the German and Austrian societies joined from their hall on Mercury Street at 9:35. Main parade started "a few minutes past 11:00 o'clock" from St. Mary's church. The procession proceeded down Wyoming Street to Copper, west on Copper to Main, and south on Main. About 2,500 men were in line. The Hibernians and the AOH from Butte and Anaconda were on Main; the Irish Volunteers from the various Butte locals followed in a separate company. **James J. Murphy headed the parade as marshal of the day.** He was assisted by W. P. McCarthy, Maurice Hayes, and John Doherty as aids. Maj. W. E. Dunlap of the Irish Volunteers were stationed at [post]. Brennan & Ked, Murphy and Joseph Bramwell tended the German and Austrian section. SERMON: Rev. Father English of St. Mary's church delivered the sermon at the morning mass. He referred to "the existing [solidarity?] between the Irish and the Germans" — a striking pulpit alignment of the two diaspora communities. Father Cummings, Father Crowley of [...], and Father Cannelly of St. Joseph's parish concelebrated. AFTERNOON: Judge J. J. Lynch presided at the King's Theatre [or similar venue]. Mayor Smith — who, per the previous-day's paper, had made "insinuations" against the Irish Volunteers — was reported to have confirmed Butte police protection for the Volunteers "tonight." Speaker S. J. Larke gave an Irish-history retrospective in the afternoon. ARCHIVE-RELEVANT NAMES: James J. Murphy (= person_james_j_ murphy_centerville_aoh; serving as parade marshal for the second consecutive year; 1914 parade was the "first in years" per the 1914-03-02 Anaconda Standard piece); Judge J. J. Lynch (recurring AOH figure); W. P. McCarthy (same as in the 1914 parade and the 1922 banquet attendee list).

People

James Joseph "James J." Murphy (b. 1883 Ardgroom; d. 1938 LA)(as printed: James J. Murphy)
role: parade marshal of the day · family confidence: 10 flag

Also mentioned

W. P. McCarthy · aide_to_marshal
Same W. P. McCarthy who was Hibernian Division 3 president in Jan 1913.
Maurice Hayes · aide_to_marshal
John Doherty · aide_to_marshal
Maj. W. E. Dunlap · irish_volunteers_officer
Major in the Butte Irish Volunteers — the paramilitary forerunner of the IRA. The Butte chapter's officer ranks (Maj., etc.) signal the seriousness of their organisation.
Sheriff Charles E. Henderson · parade_escort
Silver Bow County sheriff in 1915.
Rev. Father English · morning_sermon_celebrant
Of St. Mary's church.
Rev. Father Cummings · concelebrant
Rev. Father Crowley · concelebrant
Rev. Father Cannelly · concelebrant
Of St. Joseph's parish.
Judge J. J. Lynch · afternoon_presiding_judge
Recurring Hibernian / AOH figure across the archive.
Mayor Smith · butte_mayor
The same Butte mayor whose 'insinuations' against the Irish Volunteers were reported in the 1915-03-16 Butte Miner. Apparently reconciled by parade day.
S. J. Larke · afternoon_speaker
Gave an Irish-history retrospective in the afternoon programme.
Joseph Bramwell · german_austrian_section_aide
Brennan & Ked · german_austrian_section_aides
Multiple aides whose names are jointly listed for the German and Austrian section; resolution prevents clean parsing.

Places

Butte, Montana (primary)
Centerville (district of Butte) (secondary)
Ireland (subject)

Themes

Story threads

Source type

news_item, public_meeting_report

Related sources

1914-03-02 — The Anaconda Standard, p.7 — IRISH TO MARCH ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY
The Butte Miner, 1914-03-17, p.1(full page)
The Butte Miner, 1914-03-18, p.1(full page)
The Butte Miner, 1915-03-16, p.1(full page)

Transcription

transcription: partial · confidence medium

# SCENES INCIDENT TO BUTTE'S GREAT CELEBRATION OF ST. PATRICK'S DAY ## Irish, German and Austrian Societies Unite in Tribute to St. Patrick's Memory *The Butte Miner, Thursday morning, March 18, 1915, p. 1.* *Two large parade photographs accompany the article. Top photo caption: "Leaving St. Mary's church, where [mass] was celebrated." Bottom photo caption: "Head of the parade marching down [...] Main street."* Aided by summer weather, Hibernians, members of other Irish societies and of German, Austrian and Hungarian organisations united yesterday in honor the memory of Ireland's patron saint. There was not an incident of bigotry of any kind to mark the [event]. There was a uniting in declaring the celebration to be the greatest in the history of Butte. [Body of opening section] Sheriff Charles E. Henderson and all of his deputies headed the parade prior to the coming of the marchers. ### First Line of March. At 9:30 o'clock in the morning the Hibernians met at their hall on North Main street. At 9:35 the members of the German and Austrian societies assembled at their hall on Mercury [Street]. ### Main Parade Starts. At a few minutes past 11:00 o'clock the Hibernians met and started from the St. Mary's church. The procession was viewed down Wyoming street to Copper, west on Copper to Main and south on Main street. About 2,500 men were in line. The Hibernians and the AOH from Butte and Anaconda were on Main. The members of the Irish Volunteers from the various Butte locals followed under the company [...] James J. Murphy headed the parade as marshal of the day. He was assisted by W. P. McCarthy, Maurice Hayes and John Doherty as aids. Maj. W. E. Dunlap of the Irish Volunteers were stationed at [...]. Brennan & Ked, Murphy and Joseph Bramwell tended the German and Austrian section. Rev. Father English of St. Mary's church delivered the sermon in the morning. The speaker referred to the existing [solidarity?] between the Irish and the Germans, [...] [Father Cummings, Father Crowley, Father Cannelly of St. Joseph's parish concelebrated.] ### S. J. Larke Speaks. Irish history was retraced and the asssemblage that the hearts of all Austrians, the referred to a remember to be [...] ### In the Afternoon Judge J. J. Lynch presided at the [Kingsteam / King's Theatre] meeting in the afternoon, refused to be assemblage [...]. Mayor Smith confirmed Butte police "tonight permanent to the Irish Volunteers" [confirming protection]. ### UNITED STATES IS EXERTING INFLUENCE [Right-column wire continues — Japan / China diplomatic affair.] --- *Transcription status: partial. Body type is small in the export and substantial portions of the column are below the readable threshold. A higher-resolution scan is required for full transcription.*

Open questions

The Irish-German-Austrian united-tribute framing is the single most striking political detail of the 1915 Butte coverage and worth a sidebar in the book. The alignment would dissolve completely after April 1917 (US entry into the war).
The "Brennan & Ked, Murphy" fragment in the German-Austrian section aides list — resolution of the names worth a higher- resolution re-pull.