NEW HAVEN--It's an annual tradition with a lot of heart and a lot of fun.
So what is "it"? The St. Patrick's Day Parade in New Haven, of course!
Fox CT caught up with parade Grand Marshal Tom Gallogly early Sunday morning as preparations were getting underway before the big event.
Gallogly told Fox CT's Mike Magnoli about the significance of a pin with three shamrocks on it pinned to his lapel, and the history is incredible.
"My grandfather back in 1955 convinced the mayor of New Haven to restart the parade that originally started in 1842," Gallogly said. The parade had a 40 year hiatus after it was paused World War I, and Gallogly says no one had the heart to get it back going after the war.
But then came his grandfather. "My grandfather was the first general chairman of the parade, but he was never grand marshal--he was an honorary grand marshal in 1980," Gallogly recalled. "My dad was stricken with an illness and he wasn't able to be a grand marshal, so he was an honorary grand marshal in 1996."
This parade is very important to Gallogly because it's time for his family to be in the spotlight, and that's where the significance of his three-shamrock pin comes in. "I'll be the first Gallogly to actually walk down the street as grand marshal, so the significance of the three shamrocks right here are myself, my father, and my grandfather so we can walk down the street together. "
In all, about 127 different units marched down the streets, including about 40 bands.
"It's not only a parade, it's a show," Gallogly said.
