A winning smile on this little marcher from St. Katherine of Siena School.
Mary Frances Fogg said it best. “This makes me happy,” said the second vice president of the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association, as she watched the dancers from the Cummins School perform in front of the reviewing stand on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in the city on Sunday afternoon.
By the looks of the smiling faces lining the parade route—and there were thousands of them—that was the standard sentiment. The weather—it got up to 59 which, with the bright sunshine, felt balmy—may have brought out the crowds, or it might have been the 180 marchers, dancers, floats, and local celebrities that helped turn the city’s ersatz Champs-Elysee into a sea of green. Whatever it was, it had regular parade participants wondering if it was a record. But then again, who wanted to count? Look, here comes another pipe band! Did you see those dancers? Oh, wow! Clowns!
The theme of this year’s parade honored the 19th anniversary of the Irish Memorial was built near Penns Landing: The Irish Memorial: A Decade of Remembrance.
We have several hundred pictures to share and a nice video of Ring of Honor member, Timmy Kelly, singing (at the bottom of the page)–another Philly parade tradition.
And here are the winners of the day:
Hon. James H.J. Tate Award
(Founded 1980, this was named the Enright Award Prior to 1986)
Sponsored by: Mike Driscoll & Michael Bradley
Group that Best Exemplified the Spirit of the Parade
2013 AOH / LAOH Division 51 Fishtown
Msgr. Thomas J. Rilley Award (Founded 1980)
Outstanding Fraternal Organization
Sponsored by: AOH Division 39 Msgr. Thomas J. Rilley
2013 Cavan Society
George Costello Award (Founded 1980)
Organization with the Outstanding Float in the Parade
Sponsored by: The Irish Society
2013 Irish of Havertown
Hon. Vincent A. Carroll Award (Founded 1980)
Outstanding Musical Unit Excluding Grade School Bands:
Sponsored by: John Dougherty IBEW Local 98
2013 Philadelphia Emerald Society
Anthony J. Ryan Award (Founded 1990)
Outstanding Grade School Band
Sponsored by: The Ryan Family
2013 St. Aloysius Academy Marching Band
Walter Garvin Award (Founded 1993)
Outstanding Children’s Irish Dance Group
Sponsored by: Walter Garvin Jr.
2013 Cummins School of Irish Dance
Marie C. Burns Award (Founded 2003)
Outstanding Adult Dance Group
Sponsored by: Philadelphia Emerald Society
2013 Nicholl School of Irish Dance
Joseph E. Montgomery Award (Founded 2006)
Outstanding AOH and/or LAOH Divisions
Sponsored by: AOH Div. 65 Joseph E. Montgomery
2013 AOH / LAOH Division 39 Monsignor Thomas J. Riley
Joseph J. “Banjo” McCoy Award (Founded 2006)
Outstanding Fraternal Organization
Sponsored by: Schuylkill Irish Society
2013 Southwest St. Patrick’s Club
James F. Cawley Parade Director’s Award (Founded 2006)
Outstanding Irish Performance or Display Chosen by the Parade Director
Sponsored by: AOH Division 87 Port Richmond
2013 Celtic Flame School of Irish Dance
Father Kevin C. Trautner Award (Founded 2008)
Outstanding School or Religious Organization that displays their Irish Heritage while promoting Christian Values
Sponsored by: Kathy McGee Burns
2013 Bishop Shanahan High School Band and Cheerleaders
Maureen McDade McGrory Award (Founded 2008)
Outstanding Children’s Irish Dance Group Exemplifying the Spirit of Irish Culture through Traditional Dance.
Sponsored by: McDade School of Irish Dance
2013 McDade School of Irish Dance
James P. “Jim” Kilgallen Award(Founded 2011)
Outstanding organization that best exemplifies the preservation of Irish-American unity through charitable endeavors to assist those less fortunate at home and abroad.
Sponsored by: Michael Bradley
2013 Knights of Columbus Philadelphia Chapter
Mary Theresa Dougherty Award (Founded 2012)
Outstanding organization dedicated to serving the needs of God’s people in the community.
Sponsored by: St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association Board
2013 St. John’s Hospice
Paul J. Phillips Jr. Award (Founded 2012)
Outstanding parade marshal.
Sponsored by: Robert M. Gessler
2013 Steve Burns
Phillip ‘Knute’ Bonner Award (Founded 2013)
Outstanding fraternal group.
Sponsored by: Parade Board
2013 DCFD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums (Washington DC)
