Murphy Named as 2024 Cleveland Parade Grand Marshal

Executive Director John Togher and the Parade Committee of the United Irish Societies have announced that the Cleveland’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Sunday March 17, at 2:04 pm.  

The theme of the Parade is Ireland: One Island One Nation.

The United Irish Societies will be honoring the 2024 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Honorees: Grand Marshal Patrick T. Murphy, Irish Mother Patricia Homan, Parade Co Chairs David McLaughlin and Fr. Francis Walsh  

Grand Marshal for the parade is Irish Legal 100 member Murphy, an active member of the Parade Committee since 1983 as a Delegate for the West Side Irish American Club. He was honored as one of the parade Co-Chairs in 1985 and served as Executive Director of the United Irish Societies from 2010-2013.

The 2024 Irish Mother of the Year is Patricia Homan. Patricia Homan and her husband Bill are the proud parents of 3; Heather, John (wife Marcella) and Erin and the proud grandparents of 3. Patricia is  very active in the Irish Community with membership in the Irish American Archives Society, Irish American Club East Side, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Mayo Society and the West Side Irish American Club. She was recognized as the Irish American Club Member of the Year in 2010. The Homans are active parishioners of St. Justin Martyr in Mentor. 

The 2024 parade Co-Chairs are David McLaughlin and Fr. Francis Walsh.

David McLaughlin is very involved in the Irish Community with membership in the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Irish American Club East Side. He has served as a Delegate and currently serves as a Deputy Director of the United Irish Societies of Cleveland. 

Fr. Francis Walsh is also very active in the Irish Community with membership in the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Irish American Club East Side and the West Side Irish American Club. Fr. Walsh currently is serving as the Chaplain of the Bluestone Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He is a retired priest in the Diocese of Cleveland where her served in many parishes. He was pastor of St. Luke’s in Lakewood an St. Jerome in Cleveland.

Parade Route: The Parade will assemble between East 18th and Superior to East 22th and Superior. The National Anthems of Ireland and the United States will be sung at 2:00pm by Kathleen Cooper. The Parade will step off at 2:04pm with the Ceremonial Blowing of the Whistle by the Grand Marshal Patrick T. Murphy.

Parade Participants: Units will consist of Civic Officials, Parade Committee and Honorees, Safety Forces, Honor Guards, Irish Organizations, Marching Units, Drill Team, Floats, Novelties, Pipe Bands, High School and College Bands.

The Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the oldest traditions in the State of Ohio and the single largest attended event in the City of Cleveland.

Grand marshal Murphy was born the third of eight children in Polranny, Achill Parish, County Mayo to Thomas and Angela Murphy. His family came to the United States in 1962 and have been active members of the West Side Irish American Club ever since. He lives in Avon with his wife Carlene and they have three children, Kelly (Kurt), Tim (Samantha) and Danny. Pat is the proud Papa of four grandchildren, Breck, Keegan, Maddie and Gabby.

Pat is a former trustee and officer of the West Side Irish American Club. When he was young he marched with the Junior Fife and Drum Corps, later becoming an instructor and leader of that unit. Pat also marched with the Senior Fife and Drum Corps. In 1983 he became the Club’s Delegate to the United Irish Societies of Greater Cleveland. He was selected as Inside Co-Chair of the Parade in 1985, the same year his mother was the West Side Club’s Woman of the Year. Pat went on to become a Deputy Director, Executive Director and now Director Emeritus of the Parade Committee. As Director Emeritus Pat had the idea to create a published history of the Cleveland Parade. He engaged and worked alongside the Irish American Archives Society to publish The Day We Celebrate, 175 Years of Cleveland's St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Pat is a member of the West Side Irish American Club, the Irish American Club - East Side, and the Mayo Society. He is a founding member and trustee of the Thomas J. Scanlon Irish American Law Society of Cleveland. In 2016 and 2022 Patrick chaired the Law Society’s symposiums in Galway, Dublin and Cork. Pat was honored with the Walks of Life Award from the Irish American Archives Society in 2020 and named the Irish Person of the Year in 2023. Recently Pat was selected to become a member of the Irish Heritage Advisory Committee for the Irishtown Bend project.

Pat graduated from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1986. He is a partner at Dworken and Bernstein Co. LPA where he has worked for over 35 years. He focuses his practice on nursing home negligence, medical malpractice and wrongful death cases. Pat has been selected to the Irish Legal 100, named as an Ohio Super Lawyer and was voted as a finalist for Trial Lawyer of the Year by Public Justice. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubble.

In addition to his love of all things Irish, Pat enjoys spending time with his family and friends, traveling and gardening.  Pat is extremely proud of the mission of the United Irish Societies and having had the privilege of working on the Parade Committee for over 40 years.   

Contact information: pro@stpatrickdaycleveland.com or visit www.stpatricksdaycleveland.com for more information on the parade.