Compared to Savannah, Atlanta was somewhat late to the party when it comes to parading annually on St. Patrick’s Day.
Then again, there was no city of Atlanta until 1847. That hampered things a bit.
The Hostess City of the South, founded in 1733, has been holding a public parade since 1824. Savannah’s parade is world-famous; Atlanta’s is decidedly less well-known. Nevertheless, the wearing of the green (and the marching of the feet) has been a tradition here, off and on, since 1858.
This year’s parade, the 140th, boasts Monica Pearson as Grand Marshal. The former longtime WSB-TV anchor, now hosting “The Monica Pearson Show” for the Journal-Constitution, said headlining the festivities “is an honor and a humbling experience,” the AJC’s Rodney Ho reports.
First mentioned in the Constitution’s Tuesday, March 19, 1872 edition, the Atlanta St. Patrick’s Day parade roundup was brief but colorful.
“The 17th of March — the anniversary of St. Patrick — coming on Sunday, the Hibernian Benevolent Society had their annual parade yesterday,” readers learned. “The Hibernians assembled at their Hall, corner of Broad and Marietta streets, and 8 1/2 o’clock, and, preceded by the Catholic Church Band, marched according to the programme of march to the Catholic Church, where Father Duggan celebrated mass.”
“We were pleased to note so many beautiful ladies out,” the paper cheekily observed.
Ten years later, the Constitution reported on March 11, 1892 that the coming parade would “be the biggest celebration of St. Patrick’s day ever held in the south, a rousing and enthusiastic outpouring of Irishmen such as was never seen in Atlanta before.
“Atlanta’s Irish citizens are going to celebrate ... as all true and loyal sons of the ‘ould counthry’ should do,” readers were told.
On March 9, the Constitution ballyhooed a planned football set-to between Atlanta’s Irish and Lithonia’s Scotsmen in a big way, the sport already showing its prowess as one of the south’s most beloved pastimes.
“Mr. P.J. McNamara and Mr. J.J. Duffy are rapidly getting the Irish team in shape and brawny Scots from the granite quarries will have their hands full when they tackle the Atlanta men,” the paper reported. “The teams will parade before the game and the whole thing will be done in good shape.”
But it wasn’t to be.
Credit: Judy Ondrey / AJC Photo Archives
Credit: Judy Ondrey / AJC Photo Archives
Although the general program of the public parade through downtown, celebration of mass and speeches was in line with earlier fetes, the newspaper pointed out that the party would preempt the big game, at least temporarily.
“On account of the length of the programme it has been found necessary to postpone the (Irish-Scotch) football game for a few days,” readers were told. A check of the Constitution archives failed to turn up any reports of the Irish and Scots going at it on the gridiron after that St. Patrick’s Day.
With football out of season, sports fans need not fret about any St. Patrick’s Day-related cancellations, but those taking part in the 2024 festivities March 16 should be ready for a crowd, as “the parade this year is expected to include more than 3,000 participants and will feature an array of floats, bands, bagpipe and drum corps, children’s groups, Irish dancers and animal groups,” Ho notes in his recent AJC article.
The parade will begin at noon at the intersection of Peachtree and 15th streets and conclude at Peachtree and 5th Street at about 1:30 p.m. Remember to wear something green.
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