Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Irish music played, little kids danced. grown-ups ate, talked, laughed, and plunked down money for dozens of raffle baskets. In other words, it was a typical fun Irish event–this one at Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield, Delaware County, to raise money for the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade takes place Sunday, March 10, and will be broadcast live on CBS3. Check out our photos and join us along the parade route! We’ll be the ones with all the camera equipment.

Philadelphia Emerald Society Piper Joe Tobin

Why? It’s because his honor Michael Nutter says so.

The mayor read the proclamation aloud before a crowd of local Irish in an ornate City Hall reception room on Thursday.

As Nutter started to read the annual Irish Month proclamation, he acknowledged it was a little on the lengthy side: “It will be St. Patrick’s Day by the time I’m done reading it.”

Nutter seized the opportunity to present Irish Month as “just another example of our diversity. On this day we are all Irish.”

On a difficult day when, only a few blocks away, there were raucous protests against the closing of 23 schools, Nutter breezed into the room about halfway through the ceremony to have his brief say, but he paused for a few moments to watch a performance of Rosemarie Timoney’s Irish dancers. Maybe it was a welcome diversion. “I tried doing that myself,” he told Rosemarie in a bit of back and forth, “but I hurt myself.”

Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association President Bob Gessler was the emcee. Among his many responsibilities was introducing this year’s grand marshal Harry Marnie, together with members of the parade’s ring of honor. This year’s ring includes Timmy Kelly, widely acknowledged for his singing, and for his unofficial title as the parade’s “good luck charm.” Timmy led the crowd in singing “God Bless of America.”

Weather for the parade on Sunday looks pretty good, so maybe that luck thing is working for us.

Preceding the city hall ceremony, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick gathered on the north side of city hall for a wreath-laying ceremony honoring Philadelphia’s Irish notables.

We have photos from the day’s activities.

Philadelphia Emerald Society Piper Joe Tobin

Why? It’s because his honor Michael Nutter says so.

The mayor read the proclamation aloud before a crowd of local Irish in an ornate City Hall reception room on Thursday.

As Nutter started to read the annual Irish Month proclamation, he acknowledged it was a little on the lengthy side: “It will be St. Patrick’s Day by the time I’m done reading it.”

Nutter seized the opportunity to present Irish Month as “just another example of our diversity. On this day we are all Irish.”

On a difficult day when, only a few blocks away, there were raucous protests against the closing of 23 schools, Nutter breezed into the room about halfway through the ceremony to have his brief say, but he paused for a few moments to watch a performance of Rosemarie Timoney’s Irish dancers. Maybe it was a welcome diversion. “I tried doing that myself,” he told Rosemarie in a bit of back and forth, “but I hurt myself.”

Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association President Bob Gessler was the emcee. Among his many responsibilities was introducing this year’s grand marshal Harry Marnie, together with members of the parade’s ring of honor. This year’s ring includes Timmy Kelly, widely acknowledged for his singing, and for his unofficial title as the parade’s “good luck charm.” Timmy led the crowd in singing “God Bless of America.”

Weather for the parade on Sunday looks pretty good, so maybe that luck thing is working for us.

Preceding the city hall ceremony, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick gathered on the north side of city hall for a wreath-laying ceremony honoring Philadelphia’s Irish notables.

We have photos from the day’s activities.

Sister James Anne steps lively.

It’s always one of the first events of the St. Patrick’s Day season in Philadelphia and the pre-parade party at the studios of CBS3, which has been broadcasting the Philadelphia parade for a decade, is the official start of the excitement.

But the event was tinged with sadness this year: Parade Director Michael Bradley called for a moment of silence to remember two longtime members of the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association who died in the last two weeks: Knute Bonner and Paul Phillips.

Still, since it was an Irish thing, there was also merrymaking. Brian, Michael, and John Boyce and their sister Karen Boyce McCollum, along with Blackthorn members John McGroary and Michael Callaghan provided the music and the McDade-Cara School and 2011 Grand Marshal Sister James Ann Feerick provided the dancing. There was a legendary grouping of former grand marshals, an amazing buffet table provided by IBEW Local 98, whose leader, John Dougherty, was last year’s grand marshal, and some impromptu crooning by another former Grand Marshal, Vincent Gallagher, and Judge James Lynn, whose St. Patrick’s Day breakfast at The Plough and the Stars is the place to be on March 17. This year’s grand marshal, Harry Marnie, a retired police officer who injected new life into the city’s Emerald Society, an organization made up of police and fire personnel of Irish ancestry, was introduced. When he faltered a little with his written speech, he got some help from his wife, Pat, who yelled out to him, “Wing it!” So he did, with a laugh, thanking his wife for “her support.”

Check out our photos for all the fun.

And here’s a video wrap-up of the night’s festivities.

Why have one shamrock when you could have a dozen?

Judging by the crowd in the brand-new Fraternal Order of Police Heroes Ballroom in the Great Northeast on Sunday afternoon, fund-raising for the 2013 Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade is off with a bang.

“We think we’re between 600 and 700 people,” said Bob Gessler, president of the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association, as he looked out on a crowd that also crammed the FOP hall’s spacious lobby, where long lines of party-goers queued up for baked ziti, hot roast beef sandwiches, potato salad, and meatballs. When asked how much money the event might have raised toward the roughly $75,000 it costs to stage the Sunday, March 10, parade, Gessler wasn’t sure at that point, but he said: “I think it’s going to make a very large dent in it.”

Gessler also praised the FOP for its generosity. “We’re ecstatic that they’re working with us,” he said. “We’ve actively been trying to do something with them. They’ve just been fantastic, and this place is beautiful.”

Although the union did charge the association for the use of the hall at Comly and Caroline in the Normandy neighborhood—an impressive step up from the union’s former digs at Broad and Spring Garden—Gessler said the fundraiser benefited from what he referred to as “the grand marshal discount.” This year’s grand marshal is retired Philadelphia Police Officer Harry Marnie, longtime member of the FOP and president of the Emerald Society. Marnie was on hand to enjoy the party, too.

And what a swell party it was, with non-stop tunes from No Irish Need Apply, Jamison, and the Bogside Rogues, and entertainment by the Celtic Flame Irish Dancers.

We have a big photo essay, above. Check it out.

And don’t get complacent: the parade isn’t paid for yet. You can help put the parade on the street at the next huge fundraiser Sunday, March 3, at Cardinal O’Hara High School, 1701 Sproul Road in Springfield, Delaware County. The event runs from 3 to 7 p.m., with music by Sláinte and The Round Tower Band. and performances by McDade, Cara, & McHugh Schools of Irish Dance. The cost of admission is $25 for adults, and $10 for students. The price includes buffet and entertainment. There’s a cash bar. Details at the parade website.