It’s no blarney. The only interstate St. Patrick’s Day Parade in America is a few hours away from starting in the Quad Cities. John Scally is chairman of the 17th annual event to celebrate the wearin’ of the green.The parade starts in downtown Rock Island, Illinois, about 11:30, and goes across the Mississippi River via the Centennial Bridge and then winds through Davenport, Iowa. Scally says one of the biggest entries is the gathering of the clans — as folks of Irish descent walk in the parade with their families.A special entry in this year’s parade will include firefighters and police officers from many of the Quad City area’s departments, marking the events of September 11th. Scally says there will also be a four-foot-long coffin honoring the memory of a long-dead leprechaun named Tim Finnegan, carried by six Davenport men.About three thousand marchers and parade participants are expected while the crowds watching the parade have topped 50-thousand in past years, making it among Iowa’s biggest annual parades.
Iowa's Radio News Network
