Photo courtesy of the Harp & Shamrock Society of Texas
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For the first time in 44 years, the St. Patrick's Day Street Parade will be a no-go.
The Harp and Shamrock Association, which runs the parade, could not afford the cost and had to make the decision to cancel it.
January 27, 2012 · Men carrying the Irish and Texas flags, bagpipers in traditional Irish clothing, and children march down the street in the 2010 St. Patrick’s Day Street Parade.
The decades-old parade attracted a crowd of people that Harp and Shamrock Association member Terry Peak says has always been popular.
"They would be lined two and three deep cheering on the parade. It was really a wonderful experience.”
But this year, in what would have been the 45th anniversary, there will be no bagpipers or no tribute to the Irish in the traditional street parade.
The association decided to cancel it because it could not afford the $12,000 fee for barricades, police, and permits needed to put the parade on.
“It’s disappointing; it’s a real community parade," Peak says.
What’s worse, Peak says, is that the city didn’t take action after a presentation was made of the problem a few years ago and nothing was done. Peak says the city chose not to waive the fees like he says has been done for other organizations. He feels there is a lack of support from San Antonio for one of the oldest and largest Irish societies in the state.
“The ordinance states that the parades that are exempt are of cultural importance, and yet the Irish have a significant amount of cultural importance in San Antonio.”
In a letter to friends of the parade, Chairperson Carolyn Dowd says the parade committee is working on partnerships and funding for future parades. Peak hopes, in the meantime, a scholarship fund for students can be developed from the thousands of dollars not being spent on this year’s parade. After all, he says, the Irish continues in San Antonio with or without support from the city.
“If you walk in the Alamo, the first flag you see is the Irish tri-color. And the reason for that is that 40 men of Irish heritage died at the Alamo and a dozen of them were Irish born.”
The only city council member to return our calls wishes the association would visit with the council where nearly half the members are fairly new. The council member says there are ways to work things out. |
