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“We’re all Irish today,” said Margaret Cheever of Bridgeport, who staked out a prime viewing spot near the corner of State and Broad streets with her husband, Edward, a retired Bridgeport firefighter. They were joined by their daughter Kathleen.
Both Kathleen and her mom had dyed their hair and painted their nails green for the event. Kathleen sported a “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” green top hat.
“Eat, drink and be merry!” she said, waving at the marchers.
Dozens of units performed for the crowd, including the Trumbull High School Band and the St. Joseph High School steel drum band, which was perched on a float moving down Broad Street.
Pipe bands from Fairfield’s Gaelic American Club, the Connecticut Firefighters and New London regaled cheering onlookers and dancers from both the Sheeaun and Lenihan schools of Irish dance strode down the street.
Schoolchildren turned out from St. Theresa School and St. Joseph High School in Trumbull; Notre Dame High School, Fairfield Prep, St. Thomas and St. Catherine in Fairfield; St. Jude School of Monroe; St. James and St. Mark of Stratford; and Bridgeport’s own Hall, Dunbar, Bryant, Madison, Curiale, Wilbur Cross, Edison and Classical Studies, among others.
The Retired Old Men Eating Out — ROMEO for short — brought a float, as did the University of Bridgeport and the Port Jefferson Ferry.
The Cycling Murrays performed on flute while riding vintage bicycles and unicycles and BB the Bluefish, mascot for the city’s baseball team, shook hands with children along the route.
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