By Sarah O’Brien
Thank you to John O’Brien Jr for asking me to share some of my experiences in being the 2024 Hibernian of the Year (HOTY!). Cleveland is the best place to celebrate St. Patrick’s season. Yes, I know I’ve never spent St. Patrick’s Day away from Cleveland, but I still know it’s true. And the 2024 season was no exception.
St. Patrick’s season traditionally starts with St. Brigid’s Day, though if you’re a member of United Irish Societies, it feels like it starts in September, which is when the Parade cycle begins! The season is usually a busy time for me with obligations and duties in my role as mom, nurse practitioner, Deputy Director on the Parade Committee, and as Division President of … dare I say I it … the best LAOH Division in the country, Deirfiur of Charity. But I did take time this year to soak in the festivities and really appreciate what a blessing it has been to have grown up in the Cleveland Irish community.
My Hibernian brothers and sisters from Boland Berry and Our Lady of the Rosary Divisions throw a great party every year to celebrate the start of the season, the Celebration of St. Brigid and St. Patrick. The event started with a lovely mass, followed by dinner and dancing as well as the introduction of the 2024 UIS Honorees and the HOTY.
Many of our east side Hibernians made the trip to the WSIA for this special night and had a wonderful time. We might have stopped at some of our favorite west side spots on the way back home, including the Pride of Erin, which serves some of the best Guinness in town.
I also celebrated this season by trekking to the Akron Hibernian Hall for their St. Patrick’s Day celebration (typically a week prior to CLE). One of my favorite aspects of being a Hibernian is meeting fellow AOH and LAOH members from across the state and across the country. You feel an instant kinship and welcoming spirit and this vibe was alive and well at the Akron Hall.
I spent the rest of the season celebrating with friends and family at events at the IACES [Irish American Club East Side], including the Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner; Harp and Guinness Night; Family Day and the March General Meeting. The hall was filled for every event, and this was the first season since 2020 where the vibe and excitement felt “pre-pandemic.”
The weekend of St. Patrick’s Day started with volunteering along with 24 of my fellow east side Hibernians at the St. Malachi Run, which directly benefits the wonderful work being done at St. Malachi’s Back Door Ministries. We have increased our volunteer presence at this special event over the last few years and we had a wonderful time!
Since St. Patrick’s Day fell on a Sunday this year, and the Parade did not step off until 2, I had time to attend mass on St. Patrick’s morning at Ss. Roberts and William Church with the IACES (just left a wee bit early to head downtown to tend to business of the Parade). Due to my Parade duties, I have not been able to attend mass on St. Patrick’s Day for several years.
WOW! It was one of the highlights of the entire season. Worshipping, singing, celebrating, remembering our deceased loved ones, watching our IACES units process into church – it was such a beautiful experience. Marching in the Parade always brings me great pride, not only as a UIS Deputy Director, but also as a member of the Cleveland Irish Community. As HOTY, walking alongside my Deirfiur of Charity sisters and my Bluestone brothers, I felt a sense of deep gratitude.
Gratitude towards my fellow Deirfiur sisters with whom our division was founded; gratitude towards our Bluestone brothers who have supported us every step of the way; gratitude towards my parents – who I miss during March more than any other time of the year – for bringing me up to celebrate my Irish Catholic heritage; and gratitude towards the east side Irish community who has lifted me up during some challenging times.
My son Eamon rode along the Parade route in the HOTY car and was amazed how many people along the route were calling out his name. He too, is being raised to celebrate his Irish (and Haitian) heritage and to love St. Patrick’s Day as much as I do.
Hibernianism came into my life during a period of grief and loss. God knew that I would need a sisterhood and brotherhood to help me get through some of the challenges in my life, and for that, I am so grateful. It’s good to know that God knows what we need before we realize it for ourselves.
The 2024 St. Patrick’s season is one that I will remember for the rest of my life. It was filled with joy, happiness, peace, a few pints of Guinness, lots of laughs and being surrounded by the ones we love while remembering the ones we’ve lost. I hope everyone made some great memories this year.
Sarah O’Brien, 2024 Hibernian of the Year (HOTY!)
