St. Patrick’s Day is a big deal in Kim Dolyniuk White’s family.
“St. Patrick’s Day is as big as Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said White, who was named the Irish American Heritage Society’s Irish Lady of the Year in 2020 and still holds the title because of the pandemic. She follows in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother who were also named Irish Ladies of the Year.
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“My grandmother was the first Irish Lady of the Year,” said White.
Her grandmother, Ann Leonard, was known as “Big Ann” and she was the Irish Lady of the Year in 1978. Her mother, Ann Leonard Ribock, was the Irish lady in 2013.
In most years, the Irish Lady, along with the parade grand marshal and Irish Family of the Year, are announced at the annual gala in February. St. Patrick’s Day begins with a breakfast followed by mass at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, the parade and then a dinner. That’s in typical years.
Since all the sanctioned festivities were canceled for both 2020 and 2021, White doesn’t get to take her place in the convertible for the parade down Broad Street. Instead, she and some of her family will walk together to St. Patrick’s Day Mass at St. Mary On the Hill Catholic Church and eat together afterward.
While the outer trappings of St. Patrick’s Day are different – one thing remains the same and that’s the tradition of the family members getting together to celebrate their Irish ancestry.
There are multiple traditions, she said.
“Everyone knows their roles,” she said. “My children are fourth generation.”
They hope that next year they’ll be able to fill them once again. The parade is an integral part of the day. Children ride on specific vehicles or floats depending on their ages. Little girls always wear smocked dresses.
They know just how much candy to buy for the parade, and everything works like clockwork.
Other Irish American Heritage Society dignitaries include Doug Wilson, grand marshal, and the Phillip and Kellie Laird Irish Family of the Year.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
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