By Peg Overford
Buffalo, NY – I grew up in a household where my parents put a lot of emphasis on our Irish heritage. It was always a huge part of our lives. St. Patrick's Day was special -- it brought family, friends and neighbors together to share corned beef dinner, a few pints, Irish music and lots of laughs! It was a time when everyone in the neighborhood took a break from daily chores to celebrate.
That's why I decided to bring back the "Old Neighborhood" St. Patrick's Day Parade in 1994. The parade partially retraces the original 1913 parade route, which eventually was moved to Main Street and then to Delaware Avenue where it continues today.
So we brought that original parade back, to wind through the historic streets of the Valley and Old First Ward neighborhoods and focus on the tradition and nostalgia associated with this area of the city. After all, this is where early Irish immigrants in Buffalo celebrated their heritage every year and hailed their patron saint - Saint Patrick.
The parade started out small, with a little more than twenty marching units participating. Now we're the second largest parade in Western New York, bringing in more than fifty marching units including Irish step dancers, floats, family marching units, marching school and bagpipe bands and mascots. The jobs that the Irish in Buffalo traditionally held, such as police officers, firefighters and politicians, are well represented in our parade. The Police Emerald Society leads the parade and the Fire Emerald Society, known as Fir Doite n, heads up the second division.
Trade unions, too, were a force to be reckoned with in this old neighborhood and they turn out in force to march. The Scoopers Union, which after 100 years of operation dissolved a few years back, still come every year to join their brothers to represent what used to be Local 109. These are the men who shoveled the grain in the holds of the lake freighters to help make Buffalo the grain milling capital of the world. The Ironworkers bring huge floats with simulated beams and their members proudly display their trade while meandering through the narrow streets. Irish flags embroidered with family clans line the streets and homes are gaily decorated.
The route follows South Park to Smith Street to Elk Street back onto South Park across the bridge to Hamburg Street to O'Connell Avenue and ends at Louisiana Street. The route passes by two churches - St. Stephens and Our Lady of Perpetual Help - which brought strength and comfort to the earlier settlers and families in the neighborhood for the past 100 years.
Everyone gathers at the Valley Community Center at Leddy Street and South Park Avenue before the parade to check in, have some refreshments and gear up for the festivities. Afterward everyone returns to the Community Center for a good old fashioned Irish Hooley with good food, cold beer and festive Irish music.
A grand marshal is selected each year and the award is somewhat of a lifetime achievement award. This person must be of Irish descent and have contributed to the community. It is someone who has quietly, but directly influenced, helped and devoted time to the "Old Neighborhood."
The Grand Marshall for this year's parade is Charlotte "McQuire" Misuraca. Seventy-seven years young, Charlotte serves on the Board of Directors at the Valley Community Center and has volunteered with our Senior Citizen Program and Food Pantry for many years.
This parade is so special because it brings people from all over back to the neighborhood to reconnect with their Irish roots. It is a reunion of sorts where friends and neighbors can reacquaint and recall days gone by.
The 14th Annual Old Neighborhood St. Patrick's Day Parade takes place this Saturday, March 17th, at 12noon.
Listener-Commentator Peg Overdorf is executive director of the Valley Community Association.
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