This is a special year as the parade happens to fall on Sunday, St. Patrick's Day.
Richard Dupuis
By RICHARD J. DUPUIS
Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade Committee president
Céad Míle Fáilte!
My wife Pat, our children Jacqui, Richard, Jennifer and David, and I are delighted to welcome you to the 62nd Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade – the second largest St. Patrick’s parade in the country!
This is a special year as the parade happens to fall on Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, the day dedicated to St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of visitors converge on our city to watch our parade. For some, the parade is a homecoming for families and friends and an opportunity to renew friendships from past parades.
No longer a one-day event, we now offer a weekend complete of festivities. The weekend begins Saturday with the 38th annual Holyoke St. Pat’s 10K Road Race. The hugely popular Philadelphia Mummers will join in on the fun by entertaining the pre-race crowd.
Later in the afternoon, a wreath will be laid at the J.F.K. monument by our 56th J.F.K. award recipient, author, historian, and Pulitzer Prize winner, Doris Kearns Goodwin. This ceremony is followed by the Bishop’s mass celebrated by Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell at St. Jerome Church. The day concludes with the J.F.K. Reception in honor of Ms. Goodwin.
Parade day commences with the Ambassador’s Breakfast where we will honor the Ambassador’s Award recipient, author and professor of Irish history, Christine Kinealy and then it’s time for the parade!
Our 2013 grand marshal, Brian Q. Corridan, will be kicking-off the greatest parade in the country before an expected 400,000 viewers who will be lining the streets of Holyoke.
I would be like to thank everyone who serves on the St. Patrick Committee of Holyoke. Your tireless efforts all year long will come to fruition when the 62nd parade marches down the streets of our city. I am proud to be a member of such a great organization.
I look forward to seeing you at the parade!