A Deserved Honor

TOMMY Smyth is the epitome of the hard working Irish emigrant who has done well in America. As one of the key men on ESPN's soccer coverage, the voice of the Co. Louth native has become known all over the world where ESPN games are carried.

Thus it was a pleasant surprise to find that Smyth had been named the grand marshal of the 2008 St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City, a great honor for a man who has certainly done more than his share of good work in the Irish American community.

This newspaper has been harshly critical of some of the honorees in the past, especially those who had no profile whatsoever in the community apart from a fat bank roll.

That is not the situation this time around, however, and Smyth's honor will be widely hailed on all sides.

Indeed, Smyth was in Gaelic Park last Saturday night on a freezing cold evening, helping out with the commentary for the Irish all-star hurling game.

He has been a fixture at Gaelic Park for decades now, and come rain or shine, European Cup or World Cup, Smyth has always found the time to take part in his beloved native games in New York.

His selection will also be a boost for ESPN around St. Patrick's Day. Smyth is one of their most colorful figures with his own unique style, which has allowed him to carve a special niche for himself.

No doubt sports fans will be tuning in on St. Pat's to hear from the latest grand marshal about the honor.

Albert's Troubles

FORMER Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Albert Reynolds has come under scrutiny in Ireland over questions about an unscheduled stop off in the Bahamas following a visit to the U.S. in March 1994.

Allegations about the stop over were made at the Mahon tribunal, the inquiry headed by a high court judge into alleged corrupt payments to politicians in the early 1990s.

A businessman has alleged that he gave Reynolds a $150,000 bribe, but no evidence has turned up to support his case. The same businessman has made numerous allegations against other politicians as well.

The Air Force pilot in charge of the flight back to Ireland stated that the plane made an unscheduled six-hour stop in Freeport in the Bahamas after the American fundraising trip. The clear implication was that Reynolds was depositing money raised in America, something Reynolds has strongly denied.

Reynolds also strongly denied that there was anything untoward about the stop, saying it was part of a visit to the island to build up mutual relations. He is expected to testify at the Mahon tribunal shortly and strongly assail the evidence against him.

Reynolds was recently rushed to hospital in Dublin with an undisclosed ailment, but has since recovered.

Haughey's Fundraising

THERE was certainly a time in the past when Fianna Fail fundraising in America deserved scrutiny, during the time when Charles Haughey was taoiseach.

Back then significant fundraising was carried out, but there was more that one occasion when questions were raised as to the ultimate destination of the funds raised, the Fianna Fail party or Haughey's personal coffers.

Rumors abounded back then about checks from dinners being cashed in highly unconventional fashion, though no investigation ever took place.

Certainly, given subsequent revelations about how Haughey stole all around him, it is not surprising that questions lingered.

Fianna Fail have not fundraised in America for some time now and the field has been left open to Sinn Fein and the SDLP, the two Northern parties who have both raised substantial sums here.

GOP Fixate on Illegals

SOMETIMES you have to wonder about people's priorities. A recent poll of Republicans in Iowa revealed that illegal immigration is the major issue on people's minds there.

That just goes to show how successful the demonization forces, a la Lou Dobbs and Rush Limbaugh, have been on this question.

Do important issues such as health care for their families, or job security or the war in Iraq where we will spend over $2 trillion, not register as more important with voters than whether or not the landscape worker is illegal? Apparently not. It certainly shows where priorities are today.

Speaking of illegal immigration, it was wonderful to see The Wall Street Journal editorial last Monday call out Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani and castigate them on their stance on the undocumented. It certainly proved that not all Republican commentators are blinkered on this issue, and they see the damage the issue is doing to the party nationally.

In order to win the White House Republicans must hold about 40% of the Hispanic vote. It hardly seems likely they will do so at present, unless John McCain or Mike Huckabee, the only two candidates who have shown common sense on the issue of immigration, are nominated.