St. Pat’s Parade planners prep fundraiser

Christmas never seems to come early, but thanks to the efforts of the Cunning family and dozens of other devoted Irish-American Hobokenites, St. Patrick’s Day always does. For the last 14 years, the Cunning family has spearheaded an effort to hold the state’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade in Hoboken, sometimes holding the event more than two weeks before the day that commemorates a missionary who drove all the snakes out of Ireland, according to legend. This year the parade, which will feature 15 bands, 6 floats, 12 civic groups and 6 schools, is scheduled for Saturday, March 4, 13 days before St. Patrick’s Day. Organizers say that holding the state’s first parade allows them to secure the services of first-rate Irish marching bands at cut-rate prices. “The prices double and triple as you get closer to the actual day,” said Ed Cunning, whose father was the driving force behind starting the first Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day parade. “We are a small municipality but we are able to have a big city parade because we hold it early.” This year, the parade will be led by Grand Marshall Tim Calligy, the city’s director of environmental services. The parade will also feature Margaret Bass, a former employee of St. Mary’s Hospital, as the Irishwoman of the Year, and John McKinght, the owner of the Fialla Memorial Home, as the Irishman of the Year. “Irish Americans have an important place in the history of this city and I’m proud to play a part in the celebration of that history,” said Calligy. The three honorees will be recognized at a dinner/dance on Sunday Feb. 13, where organizers hope to raise the $15,000 they say they need to run the parade. In addition to free flowing Guinness and a corn beef and potato dinner, award-winning Irish line dancers are expected to perform. Cunning said that he was proud that the parade had grown as much as it had in such a short time. “In the first parade, we only had about six bands, and two of them were from local high schools,” he said. “Now we have more than a thousand people out there marching.” The parade will run from the top of Washington Street to City Hall, rain or shine. For information about the fundraiser, call 714-4168.