41st Annual Meriden AOH St. Patrick's Day Parade

41st Annual Meriden AOH Saint Patrick’s
Day Parade Set for Saturday, March 22:  Fran
McParland and Al Reilly Named Grand Marshals; Participants Wanted

The Meriden Division of the
Ancient Order of Hibernians (America’s oldest Catholic fraternal organization
and the largest Irish-American organization in the nation) announced today that
the 41st Annual Meriden AOH Saint Patrick’s Day parade has been set
for Saturday, March 22 at 2:00 p.m.

Central Connecticut’s largest
parade will step off at 2:00 p.m. from the corner of East Main Street and
Parker Avenue, continue through downtown Meriden and conclude at the corner of
West Main Street and Bradley Avenue.

Fran McParland and Al Reilly have
been named Grand Marshals.

Fran McParland,
a long time member of LAOH Division 15, has served on numerous Division
committees, has held the office of President four times, Vice President numerous
times, Secretary, Historian and Chair of Catholic Action both at the Division
and New Haven County level.  Fran has
also been a delegate to the New Haven County, State and National
Conventions.  Al Reilly has served on
various Division committees.  Most recently as a member of the AOH Division 1 90th
Anniversary Committee and served for several years as Co-Chairman of the Summer
Family Picnic Committee.  He has been a
delegate to several State and National AOH Conventions, is Past President of
the Meriden AOH Division, Past AOH State Board Treasurer and Immediate Past
President of the AOH New Haven County Board.

The parade – which involves over
two hundred participants -- will include pipe bands, fife and drum corps,
marching bands, youth organizations, and many other participants.

The Meriden AOH invites all area youth, fraternal,
service clubs, and other community groups to participate in the parade.  Please call Jim Finley (203 804-6895) or
Doreen Roddy (203 213-9041) to be included as participants in this premier
parade.