History of the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee
 

The birth of three traditions

The Phoenix St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee began in 1983 to preserve and enhance the heritage and traditions of the Irish Culture as well as share that culture with our fellow citizens of Arizona. The Phoenix St. Patrick's Day Parade is one of the largest parades in Arizona second only to the Fiesta Bowl Parade.

Lorraine Flynn, owner of the Irish Cottage, a gift shop then located on Camelback Road was one of the founders of the St. Patrick's Day Parade. She remembers inviting a group of community members to hold their meetings in her shop for the purpose of planning a St. Patrick's Day Parade. Members of the first committee included Lorraine's husband, Mike Flynn, Chuck Collins, John Corcoran, John Dacey, Mike Dumas, Ed Hannan, Maureen Hannon, Frank and Eileen Leavy, Seamus McCaffrey, John McKeever, Bill Quinn, Audrey Rajec, Dottie Wood, Paul Kennedy, Tim Moynihan and Jim Cunningham. The meetings were later moved to Paul Kennedy's office.  Our current Parade Committee still lists a number of these early visionaries on its Board today.

City Councilman, Howard Adams arranged to have a green stripe painted down Central Avenue for the first parade. The original parade started on Virginia Ave. and went to McDowell. The first parades did not feature fabulous floats because money was scarce in those days and bands were hard to get also because the parade happened during spring break when many high schools were on vacation. So in the early years it mainly consisted of decorated cars and people on foot carrying signs and flags. Maureen O'Hannon made the flags of Ireland's thirty-two counties. Lorraine said that everyone had fun.  Kids helped with the decorations as well as volunteers who were not members of the parade committee. People like Kathy Adams (Howard Adams daughter), Father Joe Gillespie and Tim Hogan worked hard to insure the early parades were successful. Bob Graham, who started The Desert Shamrock, was also a big help promoting and shaping the event.

When the first Parade was being planned, Tim Moynihan suggested that it should be accompanied by a contest that featured lots of pretty girls. This suggestion led to the inception of the Arizona Irish Colleen Pageant. The winner of the Pageant each year has reigned as Queen of the Parade since its inception and receives a free trip to Ireland. The Pageant's first chairpersons were Lorraine Flynn and John Dacy.  Local radio personality Pat McMahon served as the Pageant’s Master of Ceremonies during the early years.

Lorraine Flynn described the parade and pageant as labors of love that brought a lot of people together. She said although the two events were a lot of hard work they were a lot of fun and for everyone in the group seeing that parade, for the Irish, going down Central Avenue was a big, big, thing.

The addition of an Annual Irish Faire held immediately after the Parade came several years later.  It showcases Irish music, step dancing, Irish and Celtic arts and crafts plus the traditional foods and beverages favored by Irish throughout the world.

The Colleen Pageant, the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Faire that follows contribute to the Irish legacy in America and Arizona in particular.

We vow to make every effort to leave our neighbors and guests with a “wee taste of Ireland and all things Irish”.

Please join us and Welcome.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee