Mary Allen

Mary Allen was born in Waterford County, Ireland. She first migrated to England in 1948, living in Bath before finally settling in London. She is the elder sister of Bill Aulsberry. Mary was the first female chair of the Council of Irish County Associations (CICA) elected in 1991. She has been a member of the CIC for over 40 years. She has been instrumental in organising the London St Patrick’s Day Parade and London Irish Festival over many years. Recently, Mary received a Presidential Distinguished Service Award in 2014, presented by the President of Ireland for her over 60 years of work with the London Irish community.

Bill Aulsberry

Bill Aulsberry was born in Waterford in 1939. He migrated to England in the early 1950s at the young age of 15 or 16 years. Bill first worked in a button-making factory before moving into the building trade where he worked as a tower crane driver and helped build the outline of London as we see it today. Bill has always been instrumental in organizing events for London Irish, including the London Irish Festival in Roundwood Park and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Bill also helped to develop and operate the Haringey Irish Centre. Bill is the pacer for the St Patrick’s Day Parade in London, ensuring that it arrives at its destination on time, whether that was Westminster Cathedral in the 1990s or towards Trafalgar Square today.

Vaughn Barzey

Vaughn was born on the Caribbean Island of Montserrat and moved to England in the mid-1970s. Montserrat has a long history of connections to Ireland and is the “Emerald Isle of the West”. Montserrat the only other country, besides Ireland which maintains St. Patrick’s Day as a bank holiday as well as featuring many other Irish traditions. Vaughn and other members of the Montserrat community have been highly involved with the parade along with the Haringey Irish Centre. Each year, Vaughn takes part in the St. Patrick’s Day parade and represents Montserrat on the parade. You will often see the beautiful and dramatic masquerades of the Montserrat contingency on the parade with colourful costumes and dances.

M√°ire Clerkin

Máire is originally from London and currently resides in Los Angles, California. Máire is an Irish dancer, actor, writer and teacher. Máire and her mother, Sheila have been involved with Irish dance since the 1960s, with her Mother’s school, Clerkin School of Dance. In 1984, Maire formed the comedy-dance duo, the “Hairy Marys” with her sister, Angela. She continues to perform, act and dance in Los Angeles and in London. Maire’s memories of the parade are from her time as a young dancer, reminiscences of cold, rainy walks on the streets of London. Much of her time as a young Irish dancer is featured in her work and performances, today.

Sheila Clerkin

Sheila has been involved with Irish dance in London since the 1940’s and has been quite involved with Irish music and dance in London for several decades. She taught dance for many years and took part in numerous St. Patrick’s day parades and celebrations. To listen to an extended interview with Sheila on Irish Dance, visit the British Library Sound Archive: http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Reg-Hall-Archive/025M-C0903X0133XX-0100V0

John Connolly

John is originally from County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland and he moved to London in 1958. He joined the Fermanagh County Association early on, around 1959 or 1960 and has been heavily involved with both the London Irish Festival and the St. Patrick’s Day parade several decades. As the Chairman of the Council of Irish Counties, John represents the County Associations on the Greater London Authority’s St. Patrick’s Day festival organizing committee current Parade and takes the lead at the event itself. As part of his many duties associated with the St. Patrick’s Day parade John cares for the St. Patrick’s Day banners, carried at the start of the parade, including the original banner of St. Patrick, which was put together by nuns in Belfast in the early 1950s.

Pat Connolly

Born in Connemara Rosmuck, Pat immigrated to England in 1967. Pat is a singer-musician and a member of Comhaltas Coeltóirí Éireann, a group for the promotion and preservation of traditional Irish music. Often seen performing Irish music as part of the Comhaltas group, Pat has become a well –known Irish singer. As part of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in London, Pat is often seen on floats or walking along with the Comhaltas group.

John Devine

John is a musician well versed in Irish traditional music who is well known as an Uilleann piper and also skilled in other instruments. As one of his various inputs into the musical world in London is as the development officer for Comhaltas Coeltóirí Éireann. John is also the host of the traditional music hour on Radio Verulam. John started young, as an Irish musician, drumming in céilí bands in the 1970s. Originally from Hemel Hempstead, John’s parents are from County Leitrim and County Mayo, in Ireland.

Gary Dunne

Born in Port Laoise, in the Irish Midlands, Gary moved to London and became quite involved with the Arts in London. He became the Arts Director at the London Irish Centre in Camden and has worked with the Irish community in London for many years. Part of his duties with the parade in London have included sitting on the Greater London Authority’s St. Patrick’s Day festival organizing committee and programming the Irish Festival events on the main stage in Trafalgar Square. Also a singer and songwriter, Gary has been involved in the Irish music scene in London for many years.

Stan Earl

Stan has worked with the Irish community in London for several decades. Stan was a photographer for the Irish Post and attended many parades to take photos of the event. Stan and his wife, Jenny were both the chair and secretary, respectively of the Surrey Irish Society. In addition, Stan along with Jenny worked with the Irish Club at Eaton Square and Stan became the Club’s chair, for many years.

Jayne Fisher

Jane was born in Birmingham in 1966. Her Irish heritage is several generations back, with great grandfathers on both sides of her family travelling to England at the turn of the last century — on her mother’s side travelling to Oldham, and then the Midlands¬†from Westmeath, and on her father’s side travelling to Digbeth¬†in¬†Birmingham from Dublin. Another great Grandfather was a dry-stone waller from Sligo. Jane¬†became involved in campaigning in support of Irish self-determination and on a number of solidarity issues at the age of 16, and moved to London in 1998, where she was active in the Troops Out Movement, the¬†Labour Committee on Ireland and later in the ‚ÄúTime to Go‚Äù Campaign. She was inspired by the stance of people like Ken Livingstone and Tony Benn, who advocated inclusive dialogue to resolve the conflict. She has always been a supporter of Irish unity, and she began working for Sinn F√©in in the London office from 1998 until the present day, based in Westminster. She has participated in and supported¬†the St Patrick‚Äôs parade in London, from its launch as a Greater London Authority event.

Ciara Geary

Ciara is a member of the South London Irish Dance Group, which is based in Colliers Wood, London. Ciara was born in Limerick, Ireland. As part of the South London Irish Dance group, Ciara has taken part in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in London and a variety of dance events across London. For more on the South London Irish Dance group see; https://www.facebook.com/irishdancers

Mary Hickman

Mary is a Professorial Research Fellow at St. Mary’s University in Twickenham. Professor Hickman has published and taught extensively on Irish issues involving migration, ethnic identity and a variety of other topics. At London Metropolitan University (formerly University of North London), Mary helped to create the Archive of Irish in Britain, a unique and valuable archive of records on the Irish living in London and Britain that has been collecting and preserving for Irish people living in Britain for over thirty years. Mary speaks eloquently of her work with the parade and what she feels is her representation on the “33rd County”: the London Irish. Mary was on the advisory board to the GLA’s London St. Patrick’s Day parade and festival and has been highly involved with the London Irish community for decades. For more on the Archive of the Irish in Britain please see: https://metranet.londonmet.ac.uk/irishstudiescentre/archive-of-the-irish-in-britain/archive_home.cfm

John Howard

Experienced float builder on the St. Patrick’s Day parade, John Howard has been involved in many parades over the years. John was born in Kildare, Ireland and moved to London in 1972. John represented Kildare on the Council of Irish Counties and became involved with the parade, early on. It is interesting to note, John is one of the key builders and designers of the “bog barrows” float, for the Irish Chaplaincy. Parade goers are often seen taking bags of bog away from the parade with them as souvenirs, from John’s float designs.

Sean Hutton

Born in Dublin and raised in County Carlow, Sean is a long-time advocate for Irish people living in Britain. Seán is a Policy Officer at Irish in Britain in London and has been affiliated with the Federation of Irish Societies for many years. A great deal of Seán’s work focuses on supporting the lives and wellbeing of Irish people, living in Britain. Seán moved to England in 1966, worked as a teacher and eventually became involved in the British Association of Irish Studies. Involved with writing and research, Seán was instrumental in increasing Irish content in English curricula. A fluent Irish Gaelic language speaker, Seán is a writer and advocate for the use and revitalization of Irish languages.

Joyce Owens

Mchael Kearney

Involved for many years with the Meath Assocation, Michael joined the Council of Irish Counties Association in the early 1990’s. As chair of the Meath Association, Michael was always highly involved with the Irish Counties events and the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Michael was born in Manchester and moved to County Meath, Ireland at the age of one year old. Later on, Michael moved to London in the mid-1960s. Michael has worked with the Counties and the parade for many years, on a voluntary basis. Many events and support for the Irish community in Britain is attributed to time and effort of volunteers like Michael and the county associations.

Etty Kelly

Etty is originally from Meath but was born in Dublin, Ireland. She moved to England in 1956 and has been attending St. Patrick’s Day parades since the mid-1950s. It was during the late 1950s and early 1960s that Etty became involved in the London Camogie league. Long time player and supporter of Camogie, Etty has been involved with Irish sport for several decades, in London. Etty has great memories of the parade and a wonderful story of once seeing Spike Milligan on the parade, performing a bit on the side of the road.

Marian Larragy

Marian was born in Dublin and moved to London in the late 1970’s. Marian has always been involved in the feminist movement and has been a strong support for Irish women in Britain. An established community leader, Marian also helped to create the Irish Women’s Centre in London and the London Irish Feminist Network. Marian has a long history of involvement with anti-racism and feminism advocacy groups. She also supports gay, lesbian, bi, trans gender groups in London and now marches on the St. Patrick’s Day parade as a member of the London Irish Feminist Network.

Alex Maskey

Alex Maskey is originally from Andersontown in West Belfast. Alex has been a long time politician in Northern Ireland and became the first Sinn Féin counsellor elected to Belfast City Council in 1983. He has been involved quite closely with Northern Irish politics since the early eighties and throughout The Troubles. Alex also became the first member of Sinn Féin to be elected as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1998 and was Mayor until 2003. He was elected as MLA of South Belfast in 2003. In 2003, he was invited by Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone to the London St. Patrick’s Day Parade. During his visit he spoke at both the parade event in Trafalgar Square and the St. Patrick’s Day dinner.

Tom McAsey

Tom is originally from County Wicklow and moved to England in 1961. A council member for many years with the Council of Irish Counties Association, Tom has seen many St. Patrick’s Day parades and festivities over the last few decades. Joining the Wicklow Association in 1965, Tom was part of both the parade and the London Irish Festival that was held in Roundwood Park. In 2011, Tom, along with John Connolly and Michael Sills, were honoured for their hard work and commitment to St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and presented with a Waterford crystal vase on the stage at Trafalgar Square. Tom responded “I feel very honoured to receive this awarded on behalf of the Council of Irish County Associations. It’s a great achievement for all the work we’ve done over the years. Even in the early 1970s, when relations between Ireland and the UK weren’t great, we carried on and stuck it out.” (Irish World, 2011).

Mary McCarthy

Mary set up the South London Irish Dance group, based in Colliers Wood as a rare opportunity for adults to participate in Irish dancing. In recent years the South London Irish Dance group has been involved in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in London to promote both Irish dance and their dance group in South London. There has been a long-standing Irish community in South London and the group invites dancers of all ages and nationalities with a range of dancing experience to join their group.

James McDonald

James is a singer and song collector who works closely with Irish music and musicians in London as well as in Ireland. James is originally from Wexford, Ireland and he has lived in London for around nine years. A founding member of the Song Collectors Collective, James dedicates his time to searching for and preserving Irish oral tradition, music and language. Over the last couple years, James has organized a St. Patrick’s Day dinner and feast in London which includes a traditional Irish dinner, Irish song and ceili dancing. Even though he has admittedly never attended the St. Patrick’s Day parade he speaks about a new generation of St. Patrick’s Day events.

Malcolm McNally

A photographer like his father Mel, Malcolm currently works as a photographer for the Irish Post. Malcolm’s work brings him to many Irish events and he is well connected with the Irish community in Britain. Capturing the contemporary parades and festivals on St. Patrick’s Day, Malcolm can recall many of the “ebbs and flows” of the parade look, feel and the attendance at the parade.

Mel McNally

Long time photographer with the Irish Post, Mel has witnessed many historical Irish events and has attended numerous St. Patrick’s Day parades and the London Irish Festival over the years. Mel was born in Longford, Ireland and he met his wife, Kit in one of the now-famous Irish Dance halls in London and they made their home in Harlow, with their two children, Rita and Malcolm.

Peter Middleton

Pete is actively involved with the Irish community in London and currently sits as a committee member for VICA, Votes for Irish Citizens Abroad. Pete is originally from County Sligo and has been instrumental in several movements in support of Irish living in Britain over the years. Early on, Pete was a campaigner for the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six and often took part in the London Irish Festival and marches through London, even at a time when political movements were not welcomed. Pete, along with his wife, Shelagh O’Connor has taken part in the St. Patrick’s Day parade since the early 2000s with VICA and a number of different movements.

Tom Monahan

Originally from Trim in County Meath, Ireland, Tom moved to London in 1966. Tom has become well known in the London Irish community as the “video man”, as he has been recording parades and festivities at the London Irish Festival which used to take place in Roundwood Park, for many years. Through attending Irish events and the St. Patrick’s Day parade, Tom has become familiar with many different groups and members within the London Irish community. Tom has generously donated and supplied hours of footage of some rarely seen bits of the parades through London, Willesden, Peckham Rye, Watford and the once popular London Irish Festival in Roundwood Park.

Marie Moylan

Marie was born between Cork and Dublin and moved to London in 1993. Marie is a musician and singer in London and is involved with the London Irish music scene.

John O’Connor

A resident of London for over fifty years, John is originally from County Tipparary in Ireland and has been a very active member of the Irish community in London. Through the 1960s and 70s, John was quite involved in Irish rugby and he often went to many of the now-famous Irish dance halls throughout London. Currently, John continues to organize regular tea dances and events in Forest Green and East London. John works for and with the East London Irish pensioners group and volunteers a great deal of time to the London Irish community. In 2014, John co-hosted a St. Patrick’s Day dance and music concert celebration in York Hall, Tower Hamlets, put on in part by the East London Irish Pensioners group. John’s memories of St. Patrick’s Day often involve annual rugby matches, dances, social gatherings and lots of Irish music.

Shelagh O’Connor

Shelagh is originally from County Kerry in Ireland and has been an organizer and active member of the London Irish community for many years. Shelagh is the Director of the New Horizon Youth Project in Kings Cross, London and recently named the first female recipient of the London Kerry Person of the Year. Shelagh has also been involved with the London Irish Women’s Centre, the Wolfe Tone Society in London and the VICA, Votes for Irish Citizens Abroad campaign. She has spent over 25 years working with disadvantaged and at-risk youth in London and along with her husband, Pete Middleton has been involved in many parades and public advocacy for Irish people living in Britain.

Alice Power

Alice is second-generation Irish from Stratford in East London. Alice is a student at Brighton University and has been increasingly involved with the Irish community, in Britain. Along with her father, Denis Power, Alice has often marched in the St. Patrick’s Day parade behind the County Tipperary banner. Alice was also volunteer for the Irish Voices project and conducted oral histories with various individuals involved with the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Denis Power

Originally from in County Tipperary Denis has early memories of St. Patrick’s day parades in Ireland as a member of the brass band marching in the parades in his hometown of Carrick-on-Suir. Denis still observes St. Patrick’s Day as a holiday here in London and attends the St. Patrick’s Day parade every year, marching with the County Tipparary banner. Denis lives with his family in Stratford, East London.

Jeanne Rathbone

A Humanist celebrant and a community activist, Jeanne has been quite involved in local and community politics. Jeanne has been a Humanist celebrant for over 18 years and has conducted many weddings, namings and funerals around London and Britain. Jeanne has a degree in Philosophy and has had different careers as a laboratory technician, a child-minder, a youth worker, adult education tutor, counselor and comedy performer. Jeanne originally came to London from Ireland in the mid-1960s and now she has three children and lives in Battersea.

Andy Rogers

Attending his first parade in 1983 in London, Andy has been a well-known member of the Irish business community for many years. Andy recently retired from his work as an executive with the Bank of Ireland. Andy is originally from County Sligo and moved to London in 1981. He became involved with the Greater London Authority’s St. Patrick’s Day parade organising committee in 2002 and has been involved with the parade and the Irish community in London, since then.

Ann Rossiter

Ann was born in Bruree, County Limerick, Republic of Ireland. She has lived in London for over fifty years and she has been a political activist all of her adult life. A great deal of her activism focuses on reproductive rights and Irish nationalism. Ann published a history of the Irish Women’s Abortion Support Group Ireland’s Hidden Diaspora, in 2009 and she is currently writing a history of Irish women’s activism in Britain during The Troubles. Ann is also a performer, who delivers a one-woman show on Irish women and abortion called “Making a Holy Show of Myself”.

Michael Sills

Michael is a long time member of the Council of Irish Counties and has been involved with planning the early St. Patrick’s Day parades as well as the London Irish festival for many years. Michael is originally from Murrintown, County Wexford, Ireland and moved to London in 1969. Michael has been marching and carrying the banner for Wexford County on the parade since 1969. Over the years, Michael has been highly involved in the parade and the Counties Association, taking on the role as Chief Steward of the parade and helping to assemble the parade, marchers and floats on the parade.

Terry Stewart

Terry is originally from Belfast in Northern Ireland. Terry is an author and the Director of East London Pride and is quite involved with the organization of pride parades and various events for the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, trans-gender community. For many years, Terry felt excluded from the St. Patrick’s Day parade and he felt that there was little adequate representation for gay and lesbian groups on the parade. In recent years the parade has changed and has become increasingly inclusive of various groups and there is now the space for groups including gay and lesbian groups, to march on the St. Patrick’s Day parade in London.

Scoil Rince Céim Óir

Scoil Rince Céim Óir is a school of Irish Dance located in South London. The School has attained international acclaim and are holders of a number of major individual and team titles, including national and international championships – the most recent being a World Championship Title. For more information: http://www.ceimoir.com/index.html

Annie Whyte

Annie has worked in theatre and music in both Dublin and London. Annie’s work includes event management and was an event services manager during the London 2012 Olympics. Annie has been involved with the Haringey Irish Centre for over fourteen years and is social secretary of the Haringey Irish Centre. Her experiences with event planning included production of the Tottenham Carnival and the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Annie, the Haringey Irish and members of the United Emerald Club from Montserrat have put together annual float and contingency of marchers in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in London. Annie is originally from Dublin and came to London in 1983.

Jude Woodward

Jude was an advisor for culture, creative industries and tourism for the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone from 2001 to 2009. In her role as Senior Advisor to the mayor on cultural issues, she had an instrumental role in the inaugural Greater London Authority-hosted St. Patrick’s Day parade and festival and several parades throughout the 2000s. Currently, Jude is a Visiting Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Antai College School of Business and she teaches an MBA course on creative industries. Jude is originally from Salisbury in Wiltshire and has been involved in a number of cultural and anti-racist initiatives in England for many years.