Boston prepares for St Patrick’s Day with 'zero-tolerance' warning after past unruly behaviour
Boston's St Patricks Day Parade in 2023.
Half a million people are expected to throng the streets of Dublin City for the annual St Patrick’s Day parade through the centre of the capital.
On Sunday, Boston is expecting double that for its St Patrick’s day parade — one of the oldest in the world — through “Southie”, but it comes as officials have warned of a “zero tolerance” for the kind of behaviour that has plagued the celebrations in recent years.
In local media, the coverage is not dwelling on how so many hundreds of thousands will be on the streets to enjoy the spectacle and mark St Patrick’s day but rather fears of what might happen instead with unruly students on the cusp of their spring break.
Two years ago was something of a nadir, with residents of south Boston making numerous complaints about the local student population in particular, which prompted organisers to move the start time to earlier in the day at 11.30am.
A new route will also be adopted by the organisers, the South Boston Allied War Veteran Council, going in the opposite direction it usually does for the celebration, which doubles as a commemoration for American troops forcing the British out of Boston during its war of independence, which was 250 years ago this year.
A family friendly zone will also be introduced, as organisers look to cast the day in a different light to what has made headlines here in the recent past.
"It was a black mark on this parade run by the veterans, and it didn't shine the best that Southie has to offer," Randy Greeley, commander of the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, said of 2024’s parade.
This Sunday, public representatives have said a hardline approach will be taken, as they told school and college leaders that his kind of carry-on from students won’t be acceptable.
“Our focus remains addressing public safety and quality-of-life issues that created an unacceptable ‘anything goes’ atmosphere in previous years, including public drinking, violence and assaults that went viral on social media, unsafe rooftop gatherings, overcrowded roof decks, beer cans thrown at parade marchers, and public urination on residents’ property,” they wrote this week.
In sharp contrast to Dublin, where it’s usually agreed to only serve alcohol in off-licences from a certain time, South Boston’s liquor stores will close early, as will their bars on Sunday.
As well as that, the city’s mayor Michelle Wu came out this week to say there was ”no credible threat” to Boston’s St Patrick’s day events in the wake of two men arrested in New York possessing explosives, who said they were inspired by Islamic State.
Nevertheless, security is set to be ramped up, as the city so traditionally linked with Irish emigration holds one of its biggest events of the year, which attracts so many to Boston for the day and is heavily backed by corporate sponsorship.
Brian O’Neill, a Boston immigration lawyer with more than 50 years’ experience, said the behaviour could be “outrageous” and was an “insult to the Irish”.
“The behaviour can be extremely unruly,” he said. “I know they’re trying to crack down it because it’s not right. The Boston cops are trying to knock it off.”
Tom Mackey, president of the Éire Society of Boston, said: “I'm hesitant to go on the record to disparage it.
“And the reason why I am hesitant to go on the record disparaging it is because there are a lot of wonderful people who are involved in organising it and participating in it who I have deep respect for, both as people and with regards to their love of their Irish culture heritage in this community, so I would not disparage it.
"But not being able to control your alcohol is also something that wasn't celebrated in my experience with Irish culture. In fact, that was embarrassing."
It’s an altogether different vibe just 90 minutes down the road in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where preparations are almost complete for their own St Patrick’s day celebrations.
Boxing superstar Katie Taylor will be among the honoured guests, as they welcome a few hundred thousands on the streets of a town that has just 45,000 residents.
“It’s that classic story of Irish emigrants coming over and settling here, and they really helped to build this city,” said Hayley Dunn, one of the many volunteers who helps to organise St Patrick’s Day in Holyoke.
“It’s something that we're really proud of and celebrating not only the rich Irish history that helped build up this city, but also just community. You know, we're a melting pot of cultures here in Holyoke now.”
Holyoke has strong ties with the consulate general’s office in Boston, and issues awards to notable Irish and Irish-Americans. While Katie Taylor is this year’s ambassador award recipient, previous winners have included author Frank McCourt and actor David Kelly.
“I was in high school and I played in the local high school band when John F Kennedy came to receive the first outstanding Irish-American award,” said fellow long-time parade volunteer Russell McNiff.
“It was originally offered to President Kennedy's father, Joseph Kennedy — he was the ambassador to England at one time — and they offered him at that time. And so he said, ‘no, offer to it my son, John’. He was a senator at the time. And so they did.
"And of course, we changed it after the assassination, to the John F Kennedy National Award. And it's got to be a very prestigious list, and it's often referred to as the who's who of Irish-American people."
Its ties back to Ireland remain strong, with its mayor Joshua Garcia the grand marshal at the parade of its sister city of Tralee last year.
“We had a huge contingent that went over there last March,” Ms Dunn said. “And we have members of our committee that are going to be marching in the Dingle parade next week as well.”
Like in Boston, there will be a military aspect to the parade as the country celebrates 250 years of its independence. But, despite towering over so many aspects of American life, this will be a day when not even Donald Trump or his ongoing war in Iran can monopolise the attention.
“Our parade is broadcasted on our network channel, and it's streamed online," Ms Dunn said. “Well over a million people watch it annually. We keep it about the parade and recognising the individuals within our community, and so keeping politics and all of the noise that's going on in this world out of it.
“Keeping it in the back of our minds while we celebrate this weekend.”
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