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Date: 2/8/2023
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Nearly three years after the last one was chosen, the West Springfield St. Patrick’s Committee chose Jim Sheridan as the parade marshal for the West Side division in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade.
Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, Bill Flaherty’s reign as West Springfield parade marshal lasted three years. At the Colleen Ball on Jan. 28 — also making a comeback after a two-year break — Flaherty gladly handed it off.
“As we talked tonight about the parade and upcoming events, he remained modest and humble,” said Flaherty to the crowd about Sheridan. “In fact, after reading the article about himself in the newspaper, he said, ‘That sounds like a really nice guy, I wish I knew him.’”
When Sheridan spoke, he said he was surprised to have been picked, and looked back fondly on the past parade marshals.
“I’ve taken a look back at all of our past marshals, and there are some amazing people that have come before us to lead our town through the streets of Holyoke,” said Sheridan. “I really didn’t think I was someone who could join that group.”
Sheridan has been a member of the Sons of Erin for more than 20 years, and created the “Irish Knight of the Year” award for the Knights of Columbus, of which he is also a longtime member. He is a lifelong resident of West Springfield, and was chosen unanimously to be this year’s parade marshal.
The 2023 Olde Mittineague Award, given each year to a local business that goes above and beyond for West Springfield, was given to Collins Tavern, run by Bobby LeDoux and his daughter, Melissa LeDoux Christofori.
“I came into town Halloween-eve in 1977, not knowing anybody,” recalled LeDoux.
Since then, Collins Tavern has grown and become involved with the community, by hosting cancer survivorship benefits, helping local families in need, and supporting other local businesses, which is why the committee said it gave Collins Tavern the annual award.
The Ray Distefano Award is given each year to a person or organization in West Springfield of non-Irish ancestry who contributes to the West Springfield community. For 2023 it was given to one of the most prominent organizations in West Springfield, the Eastern States Exposition, for its overall support for the community for more than 100 years.
The final award given out before the colleen contest began was the Thomas F. “Jynx” Powers Award, which goes to a longstanding, active member of the St. Patrick’s Committee of West Springfield, through a blind ballot of all active committee members. The 2023 award was given to Patrick Kelly, who has been a member of the committee for more than 20 years.
“The friends you make on the Irish parade committee, it’s like family,” said Kelly in his speech.