Princesses for St. Patrick's Day
One of the long-standing traditions of Montreal’s Irish community is to name a queen and four princesses to represent the community during the parade and numerous events leading up to it.
“It’s a fabulous opportunity for these young people, because they get to meet everyone in the community,” says Michael Kenneally, principal of Concordia’s School of Canadian Irish Studies. They also get face time with the mayor and other local dignitaries, and even make a trip to Ottawa to meet the prime minister.
This year, Ashley Clarkson, a master’s student in Concordia’s Department of History, was chosen as one of four princesses. Two of the other princesses, Cristina McHenry and Ashley O’Neill Couture, are Concordia grads.
Clarkson’s focus as a historian is on oral history and immigration. She is an affiliate of Concordia's Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling, and has been influenced by soundwalks of Griffintown and oral history projects in neighbouring Pointe-Saint-Charles. It’s well-trodden territory for Clarkson, whose own grandparents grew up in Griffintown and regaled her with stories about the Irish children from the tightly knit community, playing together in the streets.
After some encouragement from her grandmother, Clarkson decided to try out for a position in the court. “She was always saying I need to get more involved in the community, and now I’m glad I did,” she said.
The grad student was chosen for her role as a princess following a public speaking contest in which she was asked to speak about an important Irish national treasure, the Book of Kells. Since she was selected, Clarkson has attended numerous events, including hospital visits and the annual St. Patrick’s Ball, as a spokesperson for the community. “It has been an interesting experience for me, especially as a historian,” she says. “I get to see these things that have always happened over the years and continue to happen.”
O’Neill Couture, who completed a degree in marketing and management at the John Molson School of Business, says the experience of being a princess represents an exciting way to contribute to her community. “It’s great, just confidence-wise, public speaking-wise, getting to meet a lot of people who give up a lot of their time to different organizations. And it’s another way to be involved with your city.”
In past years, O’Neill Couture has participated in the parade as a member of the Montreal Alouettes cheerleading squad. Obviously, the experience of doing so as a member of the queen’s court will be a little different. “More waving, less shaking the pom-poms,” she says laughing.
McHenry, who graduated from Concordia with a Bachelor of Science in Honours Psychology and Neuroscience, says being chosen as a princess offers a chance to represent her community while getting to know it a little better. “It's a very proud, but very open and welcoming community,” she says. “I wasn't born in Ireland, but I've never felt that that makes me any less Irish. When people ask me where I'm from in Ireland, I say that my grandfather hails from County Antrim in Belfast, but I was born in County Montreal.”
The court’s fourth princess is Elspeth McMurray, who graduated from McGill University in 2012 with a degree in cognitive science. This year’s queen is Alyssa Caughy, a student in McGill’s Faculty of Education. Caughy is an accomplished athlete. She has won several national and U.S. titles in the sport of judo, and is a member of the McGill varsity women’s rugby team, and the Montreal Irish Rugby Football Club.
Related links:
• Concordia’s School of Canadian Irish Studies
• Concordia’s Department of History
• Concordia’s Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling
• United Irish Societies of Montreal
• The Queen and Court