“We are the Mr. Roger’s community; we are the neighborly community,” emphasizes James Mullooly, the organizer of the Latrobe St. Patty’s parade. The city of Latrobe saw this quote come to life on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Driving through, people couldn’t miss the overall cheerful atmosphere that was settling over the town. Spectators were lined up in lawn chairs for blocks, all wearing their green shirts, big cartoonish leprechaun hats, and beaded green necklaces. Altogether, these friends and strangers came together to wave their Irish flags and enjoy the first ever annual Latrobe Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.
Latrobe is a small town rich in history, from being the hometown of Arnold Palmer and Fred Rogers to being the birthplace of the banana split. Now, Latrobe added another milestone to its history with its first St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Mullooly’s name will forever be a part of the town’s legacy for starting this new tradition.
His inspiration came from portraying Saint Patrick in Pittsburgh’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade last year. Seeing the joy it brought to people, he knew he wanted to bring that same excitement to his community with a local, “kid-friendly” twist.
For Mullooly, being Irish isn’t just about where his ancestors came from; it’s about keeping traditions alive and making sure they don’t fade away. “I love my Irish heritage; it’s always been a part of my life,” he says. That’s a big reason why he started the first-ever St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Latrobe. He has always been proud of his heritage and wants to share it with others.
Three years ago, Mr. Mullooly started Irish Brothers Boxing, a gym where foster kids and Adelphoi students can train for free. But it’s not just about boxing; it’s about giving back. The gym hosts charity events to collect toys for foster families and food for the local food bank. Every year, he also puts on a boxing match in a ring around St. Patrick’s Day to bring his family together and celebrate.
To Mullooly, traditions only survive if they’re passed down. “If we don’t carry on traditions with our kids, then they will die when we do, so I’d rather my kids be able to be proud of their Irish heritage and be able to carry on this part of it,” he explains.
With all the disruptions going on in the world right now, he thinks the parade is a perfect way to bring people together and just have some fun. Even his last name, which means “broad shoulder” in Gaelic, represents the strength and pride he hopes to pass on to the next generation.
One of the biggest challenges was getting people to understand. Mullooly got a lot of complaints about why the parade was two weeks before St. Patrick’s Day. “We did not want to compete with Pittsburgh,” he says simply. “About two-thirds of the groups we have coming are also in the Pittsburgh parade. The second reason was starting something new.” Mullooly met with the police chief a week before Christmas to talk logistics. At first, he noticed there was little interest because people tend to be shaken up by new things. He shared how people were apprehensive and skeptical at times to see what it is and how it will affect them.
However, he persevered, saying, “Let’s just try it, see what kind of interest we can get, and if it goes well, we can build on it.” He was very skeptical to see how everybody would react.
“The hardest part is getting people to step out the first time. It’s kind of like at a dance and no one’s on the dance floor then the first few people who go out there will get everyone else to come out.” And that is exactly what happened. Once things got rolling, he quickly grew to have 46 groups in the parade. He shares, “I’ve had nothing but community support.” 
“I’ve gotten a lot of interest from people around, and that they are glad we are doing it. They’ve even expressed interest in not just this year but next year,” said Mullooly. He reached out to most of the businesses through social media or email, with some even coming to him first.
Mullooly was just excited by the opportunity he got to start this. “I had a few people contact me ‘If you would pay us we would be in it’ and I said no that’s not really what we want to
do,” he pointed out. He wanted it to be everybody’s parade, with everyone participating and having fun with it.
“One of the most exciting parts of this is we didn’t have to pay anybody to participate. People came out on their own,” exclaims Mullooly. A fire department from Brownsville even joined.
Those attending the parade were surrounded by a cheerful and festive atmosphere. The event featured junior Zoey Wilders and sophomore Sohpia Trunzo from the Miss 4th of July pageant, horseback riders, camels, firefighters and their engines, and even a violinist. Spectators also enjoyed St. Patrick-themed inflatables, decorated trailers, the Appalachian Mountain Jeep Crew, and the iconic sound of bagpipe players filling the streets. To add to the excitement, participants were tossing candy into the crowd, making it a celebration for all ages.
The first annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade was overall a big hit in the community, bringing people together to celebrate culture, tradition, and fun. With such a successful start, many are already looking forward to seeing how the event grows in the years to come. Mullooly’s vision of creating a local, family-friendly celebration has come to life, and it’s clear that this new tradition is here to stay.
