43
St. Patrick’s Day: Valley turns green for 30th parade
Braving a chilly day, some 10,000 people lined up to watch annual parade.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY 2008
Video
BOARDMAN — Faith and begorrah! ’Twas a fine day for the wearin’ of the green, playin’ of the pipes and marchin’ of the bands in the Mahoning Valley St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
With more than a nip in the air and the sun playing hide-and-seek with flecks of snow, the parade Sunday still attracted some 10,000 people who lined the route that ran along Market Street from McClurg Road to Southwoods Boulevard. The 30th annual event featured the theme “Valley of the Fighting Irish.”
Eileen Gilmartin, a parade organizer, offered a running commentary on the parade participants as they passed the review stand. She shared master of ceremonies duties with her father, Vince Gilmartin, who sang along with Irish tunes while waiting for the parade to start. Sue Hummer and Deb Muccio, members of the All-American Judges Association, sat on the review stand, a perfect vantage point to see the entries.
As grand marshal, Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik, WBO/WBC middleweight champion, followed by his manager, Jack Loew of Southside Boxing Club, led off the parade. The parade featured some 156 units including area governmental officials, police cars and firetrucks from area municipalities, non-profit community agencies and organizations, and businesses.
Some of the entries followed a boxing ring theme including Girl Scout Troop 646. The Scouts wore bathrobes and sparred. Youngstown Custom Rides featured an Irish leprechaun doing some solo boxing and Phantom Fireworks offered a boxing ring with a group of children. Youngstown Sports Grille also offered a float with a boxing ring theme.
Among musical units that made Irish eyes smile with lively tunes were Red Hackle Pipes and Drums, Gleann More Pipe Band, Steel City Drum and Bugle Corps, Ursuline High School Fighting Irish marching band and Youngstown Symphonic Band riding in an open-air vehicle from Mill Creek Metro Park.
Members of the Burke School of Irish Dance, though not outfitted in their traditional dancing ensembles, offered a wee bit of a dance routine for parade watchers, who applauded their approval.
Animals in the parade and along the route were well-represented and decked out with some sporting green scarves decorated with shamrocks. Penn Ohio and Trumbull County Newfoundland dog clubs, Logans Irish Wolfhounds, 4-H club Pampered Pets and Lucky Llamas, Steel Valley Canines and Angels for Animals engaged parade watchers. A Dalmatian riding in the Hubbard Fire Department truck also got a share of attention.
From the sidelines, Tom and Melissa Pressly of Poland attended with their 4-year-son, Thomas; daughter Nichole George; and canine member of the family, Madison, a year-old Irish wolfhound. “Thomas loves the firetrucks and the candy,” his older sister said. Madison, sporting a green and white shamrock scarf, attracted some attention for her size and bigger-than-life Irish spirit. “We‘ve come to the parade for years,” said Melissa Pressley.
A similar sentiment was voiced by Ken and Kathleen Dimoff of Poland, who also said they have attended the parade for some 10 years. Accompanying the Dimoffs was their family pet, Kasey, an Irish setter, who wore an Irish-themed scarf. “The kids like to pet him,” Ken Dimoff said. He commented that last year he didn’t even wear a jacket to the parade, but this year was another story. “But the weather doesn’t stop us from attending,” he said.
Kathleen Dimoff added that the couple, members of Holy Family Church in Poland, “went to church and then the parade ... we fit both in.”
A centerpiece of the parade was a figure of the parade’s namesake from St. Patrick Church in Youngstown.
Special people of note were Ed and Diane Reese, Lord Mayors of Kilkenny; Joe Calinger, recipient of the Ockerman Award; and Robb and Colleeen Kale, Ancient Order of Hibernians and Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, man and woman of the year.
Bringing up the end of the parade was Timlin Plumbing, who offered those who had braved the chill plungers filled with candy.
Eileeen Gilmartin pronounced, “This parade is over,” and participants and onlookers were invited to an after-parade party at Operating Engineers Local 66 Hall, McClurg Road.
Co-sponsors of the parade were The Vindicator, WFMJ Channel 21 and Mahoning Valley Irish organizations. Joyce Kale-Pesta, parade committee president, said planning for the parade began in December and continued weekly until the event.