Portland’s St. Brigid School Marching in St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday

If you're down in the area of Commerical Street in Portland on Sunday, March 13, you'll be treated to a St. Patrick's Day Parade from the students, parents, teachers, and staff of St. Brigid School.

The St. Brigid School opened as the consolidated school of St. Joseph and St. Patrick Schools in September of 2007 on Stevens Avenue in Portland. The original schools were founded by the Sisters of Mercy. St. Brigid continues the Sisters of Mercy's mission with deep roots in Irish heritage, so who better to lead a parade? It's sponsored by the Maine Irish Heritage Center as well.

This will be the first time Portland has had a St. Patrick's Day parade since 2019, with the 2020 and 2021 parades both canceled due to the Covid pandemic. Last year, the Maine Irish Heritage Center held a parade virtually with a live stream on YouTube showcasing Irish musical performance and dancing. It was great, but nothing like a real parade, so we're all excited to have the St. Patrick's Day Parade return to Portland for real!

The parade kicks off at noon and will run down Commercial Street. Be sure to look for the kids from St. Brigid School. They'll be about as hard to miss as the bagpipe players. You'll hear those guys pretty much anywhere you stand to see the St. Patrick's Day parade on Commercial Street.

I have respect for these bagpipers for their ability to make music like this. I tried it once when we had a bagpiper here at the studio, and it is not easy.