And for those of you who've wondered about our bovine beauties and why we adopted a cow as our mascot, here's a rerun of an explanation first published a few years back.
"What's The Deal With The Cow?" I get this question
once in awhile. We all do occasionally here at Irish Fest HQ. I heard
it on local talk radio a few days ago. Most people understand it. They
see the little tag line we use, "Celtic Pride in
Cowtown" and they say, "Oh, right. Kansas City. Cowtown. A cow. I get
it."
They get it. But not everybody likes it. This might sound
silly to some of you outside Kansas City, but some people here get
really bent out of shape when they hear our fair city referred to as a
Cowtown. They're quick to point out that the stockyards closed years
ago. That we're a thriving, modern metropolis, with culture and class
and big league sports and events you can wear tuxedos to and whatnot.
Nary a bovine in sight.
All true. I know I haven't run across a cow around here
in years. I also know that this coming weekend, Crown Center will be
full of happy people, most of whom are not from Ireland, many of whom
have never visited Ireland, all proudly declaring themselves to be
Irish. Is that wrong? Of course not. And that's the point.
We're a people who cherish our history, who hold on to it
for all we're worth, through thousands of miles and sometimes hundreds
of years because we value that sense of belonging, that sense of an
ancient and sometimes distant kinship to a powerful past and a shared
identity. We understand that the past isn't something to run away from,
but rather what molds us and makes us who we are, and who we want to
be.
Same thing with Cowtown. Or at least we think it should
be. Kansas City most certainly was built on the strong backs of cattle
and the men who drove them here. And on the backs of Irish laborers and strong Irish women.
Kansas City is a cowtown. It is a railroad town. It is a river town, a jazz town, a barbeque town.
And Labor Day weekend, more than any of those, Kansas City is an Irish town."
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1 comment:
As someone who comes from the Dallas/Ft Worth area each year, I was taken aback at first by the label of "Cowtown", since WE know Ft Worth as Cowtown. But it was nothing a little education and common sense couldn't cure. Both cities have rich histories with the cattle industry and deservedly share the label. Can't wait to celebrate to share in the celebration in "Cowtown" again this year.
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