Parade to feature fire brigade visiting from Dublin
Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns Sunday with a fire brigade from Ireland, Dorchester’s national championship-winning youth football team, and a Southie native known for his Stanley Cup win in 1994.
Organized by the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, the city’s signature St. Patrick’s Day event celebrates the local Irish community and commemorates the evacuation of British troops from Boston on March 17, 1776.
“One of my highlights of the year is St. Patrick’s Day here in Southie,” said Randy Greeley, president of the veterans council. “It brings out the pride in our community and the pride we take in our veterans.”
Stepping off from the MBTA Broadway Station at 1 p.m., 125 units, including floats, live music, and dance troupes, will march along the route to Andrew Square on Dorchester Street, according to the event website.
The parade is organized into five divisions, one division fewer than last year, which Greeley said reflects “quality over quantity.”
“Last year was a little too long,” said Greeley. “This content, I think, is more parade-friendly.”
The second division, said Greeley, offers Southie locals an opportunity to pay homage to their neighborhood. The unit features Brian Noonan, a South Boston native who clinched the Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994. Another float honors the Dorchester Eagles, the youth football team that won the Division 1 national championship at the Pop Warner Super Bowl in December in Orlando.
Other divisions will feature the Dublin Fire Brigade, the largest fire and emergency services department in Ireland, that is “making the jour
ney across the pond,” Greeley said. The Krewe of Europa, a Florida-based group that travels to parades around the world, have a float.
Parking will be restricted on streets along the 3.5 mile parade route. Officials recommend visitors to take the MBTA to the parade. The Red Line will run rush hour service from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free shuttle buses will from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from South Station to South Boston, according to the MBTA.
As for the weather, what would an Irish parade be without a chance of rain?
Crowds should expect “a mostly cloudy day” with a 50 percent chance of rain and high temperatures in the mid-50 s, said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norton.
One event, the annual “Mayor of Southie” competition that raised over $80,000 for last year’s parade, will not be held this year due to lack of sign-ups. Instead, Greeley said event organizers sold over 700 $45 South Boston baseball jerseys to benefit the festivities.
“Every dark cloud brings a blue lining,” said Greeley. “This year, Mayor of Southie may not have brought in the funds, but the community stood behind the parade and helped make some of those funds up.”
Greeley’s rooting for a better “Mayor of Southie” turnout next year, but in the meantime, he said he’s looking forward to seeing plenty of green baseball jerseys in Sunday’s crowd. “Yes, Southie has changed, but the parade hasn’t.”