25th Anniversary
2005

To help celebrate the 25th anniversary of Milwaukee Irish Fest, The Irish American Post will be running stories on some of the many volunteers who help make the world's largest Irish cultural event such a success. These features will appear in The Post over the next few months.

Tom McKale
Here Comes the Law

Retired Milwaukee detective Tom McKale is usually seen around Milwaukee Irish Fest sporting a neatly coifed handlebar mustache and proudly marching with the Emerald Society, a national association of law enforcement officials mostly of Irish heritage.

A festival volunteer for a quarter of a century, McKale recalled how Jerry McCloskey, the fest’s treasurer at the time, was instrumental in securing his involvement, particularly for the festival's bank. McCloskey also drew in others skilled in financial matters in those early days, McKale said. "There were Pat Knight, Pat Brennan and others I see to this day who working there as couriers and escorting folks to the ticket booths," he added. 

"My cousin, Kelly Gardner, also was working there. It was a fun group to work with, always a laugh to be shared. This type of volunteer job enabled me to get onto the grounds to see and hear what was going on. I knew I wanted to be part of it, McKale emphasized. 

For McKale, part of the fun of the festival was getting together with old friends, some of whom he hadn’t seen since the previous year and some others he hadn’t seen for a week or so. "I miss sharing a tune and laugh with Mike Clarke, Mike Donelly and Jack McCotter, who have passed. One of my favorite photos is Clarke, McCloskey and me posing as ‘see no evil, hear no evil, do no evil,’ he laughed. 

McCloskey drew on McKale’s experience in law enforcement and security, to initiate measures tightening up procedures and handling currency taken in at the fest. He recalled showing a Police Training Academy film to the money handlers and ticket sellers, demonstrating how a flimflam artist would make a purchase with a $5-bill and confuse the clerk into finally giving him change for a $20. 

"There were variations of this maneuver. But if we ever faced the actual situation, I can’t say," added McKale. "The intent of the movie was to give the folks handling money a heads-up in the event such a scenario would develop with them," he pointed out.

McCloskey, a Miller Brewing Co. employee, eventually moved on to another position directing security in the Miller stage area. When he was getting ready to leave that post, McCloskey contacted McKale to see if he would be interested in taking over. Agreeing, McKale then worked for Kevin Stapleton, a Waukesha County sheriff’s deputy and member of the Milwaukee band, Blarney. Later, he served under area director Bruce Gondert, head of the festival's Courtesy Patrol. 

"Here again, I worked with a good group of volunteers, I not only enjoyed working with them, it gave me the opportunity to be on the grounds, particularly the Miller Area. I really enjoy this job. I am out and about, getting to see and visit with a lot of people and old friends," said McKale. 

Because of the nature of his job, there were occasions when McKale drew upon his experience as a police officer to straighten out a situation. 

According to McKale, one of the festival’s ongoing challenges is dealing with exuberant crowds when fans decide to dance on the tables, "which Irish Fest frowned upon" because of the safety factor.

"I would approach the ‘table dancers’ and tell them that Irish Fest did not want them dancing on the tables," McKale said. "Most of the time compliance was easy, But on occasions, there was that standard, ‘Why?’ I would explain that there could only be dancing on the tables when all the room on the Irish Fest grounds was taken and there was no place else to dance. Compliance usually followed," he went on. 

There were always the phony identification cards were presented to bartenders for purchasing beer, recalled McKale. "This was an easy one to handle. Again, experience of an officer came into play," he said. 

"My favorite inquiry is, ‘I am supposed to meet my friend here. They said they would be wearing green shirts!’ And how about the year it flooded (1987). That was an experience," McKale recalled.

But there were times when reasoning and plain common sense "would not penetrate the thought process of the festivalgoer," McKale indicated. The problem would then need to be passed on to Summerfest security or Milwaukee police department. But those occasions were rare, he emphasized. "Over the years, a good working relationship has been developed with Tom Mulvaney and his bar captains. They also are a good bunch and strive to run a topnotch operation," McKale asserted. 

It is obvious to see why McKale’s experience was instrumental in McCloskey asking him to help with the festival bank and security. From about 1969 to 1981, McKale worked in the vice squad. From 1970 to 1981, he specialized in narcotic investigations with the rank of detective. In 1981, he transferred over to the Criminal Investigation Bureau where he worked general Investigations for about six to eight months and then was placed in the hold-up squad.

"This is the group that I retired from in 1991, on Aug. 31. So I was a member of the Milwaukee department from the start of my involvement at Irish Fest," McKale indicated. But the former cop could not sit still. From February, 1992, until May, 2002, he worked for the US Marshal, Eastern District of Wisconsin, as a court security officer. During this period, he also continued to be a festival volunteer.

Around 1990, number of police personnel around Milwaukee formed the Emerald Society of Wisconsin and many members of that organization also volunteered to help at the bank and with security. As the Wisconsin society grew in membership and prominence throughout the country, McKale became a contact person for officers from other chapters visiting Irish Fest and asking how they could help.

It is common to have Emerald Society members from five to ten different cities or states working in the Miller area. Among them have been Minnesotans Jack Davy, a retired Hennepin County Sheriff’s department patrol office who now works security at the Minneapolis international airport, and his wife, Cindy, a jailer for the sheriff's department. Tom Cody of the Cook County Police is among many police who represent the Illinois Emerald Society at the fest, according to McKale. 

He went to relate that Omaha police officer Don Stephens and his wife Kelly were among volunteers from Nebraska. and that Larry Brush, of the Evansville (Indiana) police department, never misses a festival. Volunteers Chas Lane and Kevin Barry hail from the Cleveland police department.

Over the years, more and more of the Emerald Society volunteered, mainly at the bank, drivers and security. McKale said the group included Tom and Julie Smith head of the drivers’ contingent; Jerry Kernan, John Kernan and Joe Brown, retired Milwaukee detectives; Jim Sanfilippo, currently still an active Milwaukee officer; and Jim Dunn, a Milwaukee police sergeant. 

Then are many others, McKale indicated, citing retired Waukesha County sheriff’s captain, Ken Donovan; Mort Hetznecker, retired chief of the Hartland police department; Sgt. Dale Brenon of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee police; and Sgt. Kevin and Trooper Kelly Lynch of Wisconsin State Patrol. 

"Dan O'Toole, a retired sergeant with Menomonee Falls, who then joined the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, is another," said McKale, wishing that he could name all the law enforcement personnel who report for duty at the fest. "All volunteer work is done off-duty. So no one is in uniform and no one is armed," he explained.

McKale said that the Emerald Society of Wisconsin was looking forward to 2007 when it hosts the National Conference of Law Enforcement Emerald Societies Convention in Milwaukee, highlighting Irish Fest. "There are 62 chapters from around the United States and Canada whose members will be attending," he predicted.

"In the 25 years that I have been associated with Irish Fest, the growth and change has been considerable," McKale said. "Just look at Thursday nights. That used to be a couple of beer tents with a small crowd. Now it is getting like Friday night," he added. 

He went on to tell how the grounds and activities have expanded at the north and south ends of the lakefront grounds, along with the expanded volume of entertainment. For McKale, the Sunday morning liturgy is "one of the most awesome masses" he ever attended, "especially when everyone is seated and it is time to stand and all the seats clatter."

McKale also enjoyed many family moments at the festival. His daughters were along to have fun and enjoy he event, helping his wife Suzie when she was a photographer for Paddy and Molly McFest, the festival’s jovial leprechaun mascots.

"(Daughters) Meghan, Molly and Maureen grew up going to Irish Fest. It was a time to clap hands and tap feet to the tunes with your cousins, friends, and other relatives," their proud father said. 

Molly and her husband still attend because they live in Wauwatosa but Meghan lives in Texas and Maureen is in Colorado so they aren't always able to be here, McKale lamented. 

"I am sure there are more great memories. I just have to talk with other family members to revive some of them," he concluded.