Thanks to the collective spirit and hard work of the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce, Saturday, March 11th will mark the 27th year for the Hermosa Beach St. Patrick's Day Parade! According to it's co-founder and our current club president, J Travers Devine, St. Pat's is a "uniquely American event that only caught on in Ireland as a 'thing' in the 90's. It was a celebration of the freedom Irish immigrants found in America to speak their language which was prohibited and practice their religion, also prohibited in Ireland by their English Colonial masters. "Step dancing" was also prohibited. 700 years the Brits ruled Ireland, mostly with an iron fist. The Irish in Boston & NYC began St. Pat's parades in the late 1800’s."
Published in South Bay news in 2019: "The Hermosa Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade began with a group of friends meeting at the old Fat Face Fenner’s Faloon on Hermosa Avenue in Hermosa Beach.
Organized by Co-Chairs Jean Cullen and J Travers Devine, the first Annual Parade was presented in 1995 and was an instant success. Since then what began as a group of Irish-Americans celebrating their heritage has morphed into a great ‘hometown’ local event drawing thousands to the streets of Hermosa Beach each year in a great celebration of community while retaining important elements of Irish heritage and culture."
Photo:
The original Hermosa Beach St Pats Parade Committee
Co-founders top row, J Travers Devine, second from left in the green jacket and Jean Cullen, top row, second from the right-side.