J. Douglas “Doug” Herman Sr. joined an elite group Saturday.
“I’m very excited to join the history of the long green line,” said Herman, who was named grand marshal for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. “I’m honored to be chosen.”
Members of the Irish American Heritage Society held their annual ball Feb. 12 and named their dignitaries for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Also honored at the ball were Sean and Kristi Burke as the Irish Family of the Year and Beth Real Cibak as the Irish Lady of the Year.
Herman said the ball at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center had a “wonderful turnout” with an overflow crowd. About 30 new members were part of the event.
Herman’s great-grandparents immigrated to Augusta from County Cork, Ireland and were married in1874 at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, which was once more popularly known in Augusta as St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.
A longtime member of the Irish American Heritage Society, Herman is the most recent of his immediate family to be recognized as a dignitary.
His parents, William A. Herman Jr. and Mildred Walker Herman, were named the Irish Family of the Year in 2006 and his brother, Billy Herman was the grand marshal in 2013.
On Sunday, Doug Wilson, the most recent grand marshal, passed the torch to Herman by presenting him with a large leprechaun to proudly display in his lawn.
St. Patrick’s Day is on a Thursday this year, and Herman said the Irish will be out in force that day after two years without a St. Patrick’s Day parade because of COVID-19.
In 2020, the dignitaries were announced at the ball, but other festivities were called off, Herman said. No new dignitaries were named in 2021.
St. Patrick’s Day is a busy one for members of Augusta’s Irish community. It begins with a breakfast for past dignitaries followed by noon mass at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, then the parade down Broad Street after the conclusion of mass.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
