As all three have participated in past Le Sueur County Miss Shamrock competitions, it was only natural that Lacey McCabe’s older sisters Julia McCabe (Miss Shamrock, 2019), Halle McCabe (Miss Leprechaun, 2021) and Mariah McCabe (Miss Irish Rose, 2024), offered her advice before she, next in line, competed in this year's contest.
Besides being interviewed by a panel of judges, McCabe and the other five candidates had to perform a talent in front of a packed Le Center Legion Club hall on Saturday afternoon.
“I just told her everything will be all fine,” said Mariah. “Once you get on the stage, just look at the back wall, and you will forget everyone is there.”
But none of their guidance could have prepared McCabe for an equipment malfunction that threw a wrench—or a shillelagh rather—into her plans.
The last of the six to take the stage, McCabe’s act, “The Grand Marshal Chronicles; Interviews and Memories,” was projecting videos of conversations she had with past and the current Le Sueur County St. Patrick’s Day grand marshals.
However, the luck of the Irish wasn’t with McCabe as the laptop she was using, up to some shenanigans, caused the clips to stall. While sister Julia tried to get the videos to play, they didn't always work, throwing McCabe off track a wee bit.
But adversity reveals more about character than smooth sailing, and McCabe, wielding her Irish gift of gab, got through her act, keeping her audience entertained along the way.
“When we rehearsed a couple of days ago, that happened, but then we got it fixed, but then I get up there and that happened again,” said the CHS senior. “I’ve always had the most terrible luck. I am just glad I didn’t freeze. That would have been really awkward. But I didn’t know if I should talk or tell a joke or just wait to see if the video would play again. It was tough, but I am glad I could come up with some things on the spot.”
And McCabe recognized there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
“I definitely think they could see more of me, my real self, rather than me trying to remember what I had in my head.”
While the talent contest accounts for about 25 percent of a candidate’s score, Pat Kane, one of three contest judges, said that McCabe’s ability to handle the ordeal gracefully while letting her personality shine through was a plus.
“The technical problems won’t be held against her. She did great.”
McCabe got the idea to interview grand marshals when she was visiting her grandmother, Rita McCabe.
“I said ‘grandma, what do I do, what do I do?’ She said ‘Your grandpa Emmet and I were grand marshals. You could talk about when we were grand marshals.’ So I got the idea from her.”
Before the talent show, in the basement of the Legion, the panel of judges interviewed each candidate. They looked for outgoing girls who can best represent the community and the Le Center St. Patrick's Day celebration. They also favor candidates who embody their Irish heritage year-round.
A couple more than the typical three or four of past competitions, the candidates also included Elaina Arquelles, a homeschool senior from Le Center; Kristin Siebsen, a senior at TCU; Lexi Halligan, a junior at TCU; Nora Whipps (daughter of CHS graduate Bridget McCabe), a senior at St. Peter High School; and Taylor Moos, a senior at Sibley East.
“They were probably as hard or harder to judge than last year, and last year’s were excellent,” said Kane, who is now in her 17th year of judging the contest.
About the contest
The first Le Center St. Patrick’s Day Miss Shamrock contest took place in 1984. To participate, girls must be 17 to 21 years old, attend high school or a post-secondary school and be of Irish ancestry. They must also reside in Le Sueur County, or their parents, grandparents or applicant must be members of Le Center’s American Legion Post 108.
Earning the top crown means $3000 in scholarship money. Runner-up (Miss Leprechaun) gets a $2000 scholarship, and third-place winner (Miss Irish Rose) takes home a $1000 scholarship. There is also a $1000 John Gregory O’Connell Memorial Scholarship, which can be awarded to any of the girls. Participants receive $200.
Miss Shamrock and her court also represent Le Center’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration and their Irish heritage at Southern Minnesota events: parades and the like at area towns.
This year’s royalty will be chosen in a coronation in the Le Center American Legion on Friday, March 14 at 7:00 p.m.
Above: After the videos, Lacey McCabe gave the audience a quiz about the grand marshals she interviewed, including her grandmother Rita McCabe (with her late husband Emmet McCabe, 1992), Terry and Mame McCabe (2017), Mike and Sheri Collins (2018) and Jim and Julie Harmon (2023) as well as current grand marshals Tim and Jayne Kelly.
With six girls competing, the audience was larger than usual.
