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2008
Cleveland Saint Patrick's Day Parade
Monday, March 17th, 2008.
National Anthems: 1:00pm - Step-off 1:04pm
Other 2008 Saint
Patrick's Day Parade in Ohio
Grand Marshall
- John Campbell
Irish Mother of the Year - Kathleen Hough
Co-Chair - Norine Hastings
Co-Chair - Michael Keenan
Cleveland's 141stth Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade
Sponsored by the United Irish Societies of
Greater Cleveland
Monday, March 17th, 2008.
National Anthems: 1:00pm - Step-off 1:04pm
The
Parade Route
starts at East 18th and Superior Avenue, travels west on Superior to Public
Square, turns north on East Roadway to Rockwell, turns right onto Rockwell
and will disband on Rockwell behind the Cleveland Public Library.
Approximately 150 groups will participate including various Irish
organizations schools, churches, civic organizations
and novelties. This is Ohio’s largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade and one of
the top five largest in the United States.
Thanks to Walter J. McNally
for his past 3 years of service as Executive Director!
Congratulations to Dan
Corcoran on his selection as the new Executive Director!
History:
Perhaps it was a blustery day, or perhaps the sun sent its warming rays on
the first group of Cleveland Irish that marched its way from church to
church on that March 17th, St. Patrick's Day approximately 1867. Most likely
it was the Ancient Order of Hibernians that organized the songs, and
dancing, while large groups of friends and relatives looked on with pride.
In the early years, the parade was always on the West Side, as that is where
most of the Irish were, from the Flats on west to about 67th Street.
As the years progressed
the Parade enlarged as did the audience and by the turn of the century and
shortly thereafter, the Hibernian Riflemen and the Irish Tradesmen were an
integral part of the planning and carrying out of the St. Patrick's Day
Parade. In 1900, the Cleveland Leader , Cleveland's most prominent, but
anti-Irish newspaper, would give a list of the happenings for March17; St.
Cecelia's was producing the play, Shaun Aroon; Inshavague was at Cathedral
Hall; and St. Thomas Aquinas had Soggarth's Return ; but no notice of the
Parade was to be seen in their print. It wasn't until ten years later, on
March 17, 1910, that Senator Dan Mooney of the Ohio State Legislature
introduced a bill which even recognized St. Patrick's Day in Ohio.
Two years later,
however, who could help but take notice, as crowds estimated at 100,000 from
as far away as Chicago and New York, came to the 1912 Parade. They came to
welcome home Johnny Kilbane, a local boy from W. 74 St, who won the World
Featherweight Championship Crown, a crown he won from Abe Atell in Los
Angeles and was to keep until 1923. This was Cleveland's largest Parade
ever.
The war and depression
affected the Parade; too many men off to war, women working in factories,
poverty and hard times, so that from 1913 to 1935 there was no Downtown
Parade, but instead some smaller version on the West Side of town from
either a hotel or church to some prearranged destination.
From 1935 until 1957,
under the auspices of the Irish Civic Association, the Parade gained in
scope and stature. The event, however, was becoming so large and expensive
that in 1958 eight groups: The Irish Civic Association, Sons and Daughters
of Eire, the West Side Irish American Club, the Ancient Order of Hibernians
and their Ladies Auxiliary, the Gaelic Athletic Association , the Irish
Cultural Garden League, the Cleveland Gaelic Society and the Pioneers,
formed a single group: The United Irish Societies(UIS). It is this group
that established the Parade Committee whose sole purpose was to be the
planning, fundraising, organizing and execution of the Parade. Since then
the following groups have also joined the UIS: the Irish American Club East
Side(1979), the Emerald Civic Society(1989), the Retired Irish Police
Society(1980), St. Jarlath's Football Club(1980), the Cleveland Feis Society
(1983) St. Patrick's Football Club(changed from the Gaelic Football Club
1985) the Irish Heritage Club(1987)the Shamrock Club (Firefighters 1983),
the Irish Northern Aid Committee (1992), the Padraic Pearse Center(1993) and
the Irish Cultural Festival (1993). Representatives of these groups meet
many times a year to plan all phases of the Parade.
The year 1966 was a
special one in Parade History as the 50th Anniversary of the 1916 Easter
Uprising was recognized. Twenty-five irish Republican Army Veterans of the
uprising were recognized, nineteen of them being able to attend the Parade
and hear their names resound over the loudspeaker of the Reviewing Stand to
the thunderous applause of the audience.
Cleveland's Parade, of
course, is one of many; the original being in Manhattan, March 17, 1762, as
irish militiamen on their was to a St. Patrick's Day breakfast in Hull's
Tavern, played their band music and marched as enthusiastic crowds
surrounded them. John J. Concannon, former Public Relations Director of the
New York Parade, has verified the existence of some 124 other parades; the
second oldest being Savannah, GA.
Fundraising:
The Shamrock Pin issued annually with the current year inside of the
shamrock visibly demonstrates the community's support of Cleveland's St.
Patrick's Day Parade. Proceeds from the distribution of the Shamrock Pin
fund the St. Patrick's Day Parade-the annual awards, transportation for
highs school bands, and a wide variety of other expenses associated with the
Parade. Minimum donation for the Shamrock pin is $10.
Contributors of $25 to
the St. Patrick's Day Parade are designated as "Parade Guarantors". The
names of each Guarantor are listed in the 2006 Parade Booklet. Guarantors
receive a distinctive Parade Guarantor Sash and are invited to march in a
Special Unit at the head of the Parade. The St. Patrick's Day Parade
Committee is a 501(C)(3) corporation. All contributions are tax deductible.
The St. Patrick's Day
Parade Committee; Cleveland, Ohio.
Parade Committee c/o 580
Strumbly Drive, Highland Heights, OH 44143
www.clevelandsirishparade.org
Voicemail:
216.566.5183
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