The annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration will begin with Masses celebrated around the diocese, including parishes that are celebrating their patronal feast day. The annual parade, presented once again by the United Irish Societies of Greater Cleveland, will step off at 1:04 p.m. at Superior Avenue and East 18th Street in downtown Cleveland after Bishop Edward Malesic offers a blessing.
Bishop Malesic will celebrate Mass at 10 a.m. March 17 in SS. Robert and William Church, 367 E. 260th St., Euclid with the Irish American Club East Side. Many marching units and other parade participants will attend the liturgy.
The West Side Irish American Club will attend Mass at 10 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day in St. Colman Church, 2027 W. 65th St., Cleveland. Club honorees and parade participants will be in attendance. Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost will be the celebrant.
Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. at St. Patrick Parish, 3602 Bridge Ave., Cleveland. Breakfast and a raffle will follow in the parish hall.
St. Patrick Parish, 4427 Rocky River Drive, in Cleveland’s West Park neighborhood, will mark its 177th anniversary with a Mass at 9 a.m. followed by a continental breakfast in Thorpe Hall.
The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist will have a St. Patrick’s Day Mass at 10 a.m. , in addition to the normal weekday Masses at 7:15 a.m. and noon. The noon Mass is livestreamed.
Theme for this year’s parade is “Celebrate the Life of St. Bridget.”
Shannon Corcoran of Cleveland’s West Park neighborhood is the 2025 parade grand marshal. A member of St. Patrick Parish, West Park, Corcoran is an active member of the parade committee. She served as executive director 2016-2019 and was deputy director 1998-2016. Corcoran was one of the parade co-chairs in 2010. She is an active member of the Irish community with membership in the Cleveland Feis Society, Cleveland Cultural Gardens, Irish American Club East Side, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, West Side Irish American Club and the United Irish Societies of Greater Cleveland.
The 2025 Irish Mother of the Year is Mary Murphy Joyce. She and her husband Thomas Joyce live in Beachwood. They are the parents of five children and grandparents of eight. The Joyces are members of Gesu Parish in University Heights. Mary Joyce is active in the Irish community with membership in the Irish American Club East Side and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. She was recognized with the Leadership Award by the Ohio Nurses Association.
This year’s parade co-chairs are Katie Schmitt and Michael Conkey.
Schmitt is a member of the Cleveland Feis Society, Irish American Club East Side and the United Irish Societies. She serves as a delegate of the United Irish Societies and is the vocalist for the national anthems of Ireland and the United States before the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. She and her husband Jason live in Euclid with their daughter. Schmitt is the music director at St. John Vianney Parish in Mentor.
Conkey is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Irish American Club East Side. He and his wife Mary live in Cleveland Heights and are members of Communion of Saints Parish.
After Bishop Malesic blesses the parade and Schmitt sings the national anthems, Corcoran will blow the ceremonial whistle to kick off the 2025 parade. The parade will travel southwest along Superior to West Roadway (by Public Square), then travel northwest on West Roadway for a block before heading northeast on Rockwell Avenue. It will disband at East 6th Street and Rockwell.
Parade units will include civic officials, the parade committee and honorees, members of area safety forces, honor guards, Irish organizations, marching units, drill teams, floats, novelty units,
Cleveland’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the oldest traditions in the state and the single largest-attended event in the city.
Click here to learn more about the parade, the honorees and for more St. Patrick’s Day information.
Honorees' composite photo courtesy of the United Irish Societies of Greater Cleveland.