The Weymouth Irish Heritage Day Parade Is Back For It’s 4th Year On September 24th

Mark your calendars for September 24th because the Weymouth Irish Heritage Day Parade will take over Columbian Square in Weymouth for its fourth year.

While the day is undoubtedly a nod to Irish culture, you don't have to be Irish to join in the festivities. It's a call to everyone who loves a good parade, joyous music, and the community spirit. Irish music will fill the air, and wearing the color "green" is a must that day!

Weymouth's Councilor-at-large, Fred Happel, envisioned a town-wide St. Patrick's Day event that would gather the community and celebrate Irish traditions and culture. His vision took form in March of 2019 with the inaugural Irish Heritage Day Parade.

"I felt the town needed a positive event to bring us together as a community after a number of sad events prior including The Chesna Murder, the Mighty Quinn, Cooper Richards and Kate McCarthy." Fred continued, "I have connections with the Irish Community and in Ireland along with a relationship with The Cottage Bar located at the end of the parade route and felt that this would be a successful event to bring everyone together."

This parade was traditionally a March event (aligning with St. Patrick's Day), but now the town of Weymouth has made a new tradition to have this event every year in September.

The parade is set to start at 11:00am from Hamilton School at 400 Union St. in Weymouth. The expected 7,000 spectators will enjoy marching bands, local elected officials, and non-profit groups. Over 70 local south shore businesses are scheduled to walk in the parade. They will march down the street, past The Cottage Bar, and take a left until it culminates at Camelot Way in Columbian Square. (They usually pass out candy too!)

But don’t hurry home just yet! The parade serves as a delightful prelude to the main event – a vibrant festival at Stella Tirrell Park.

The special guest this year is our Grand Marshal, Coach Pat O’Toole. Coach O'Toole has been the strength and conditioning coach at the high school the last 28-years and has been a great mentor to the student athletes of Weymouth High. Coach O'Toole will be accompanied by his family and the Weymouth High Wildcats Football Team.

While the parade might take center stage, the accompanying festival at Stella Tirrell Park is the cherry on top. Expect live music that will make you sway, sing, or even jig! Irish entertainment and The Forbes School of Irish Dance will be performing at the festival. Coming from Derry, Ireland is Shaun Mccafferty and Alban Norbby. They will perform along with Devri, The Silver Speaks and some children from a local Irish music school.

And what's a festival without some mouth-watering delights? Food trucks will be lined up, offering a smorgasbord of delicacies. Additionally, over 40 vendors will set up their stalls, offering a myriad of items for you to browse and buy. From quintessential Irish artifacts to a variety of non-Irish items, there's something for everyone.

Mark your calendars, invite your friends and family, and make your way to Weymouth this September 24th. It's more than just a parade and festival. It's an emotion, a celebration, and a day where the community comes together under the banner of unity, festivity, and, of course, the love for all things Irish!

When it comes to enjoying a perfectly poured pint of Guinness, the South Shore is the place to go! From lively Irish pubs to cozy local bars, the South Shore is home to several Irish spots where you can indulge in the rich, creamy goodness of the iconic Irish stout.

For many years in a row, the South Shore proudly holds the distinction of being home to the most "Irish zip codes" in America. Here's the break down of Irish residents according to WCVB:
02339 Hanover: 46.3%
02382 Whitman: 45.6%
02081 Walpole: 44%
02061 Norwell: 42.7%
20351 Abington: 42.3%
02190 South Weymouth: 41.7%
02184 Braintree: 41.6%
02188 Weymouth: 40.2%

With all of those Irish people, there's GOT to be good Irish bars on the South Shore, right? YES! Let's go find them in the following Towns of Weymouth, Norwell, Whitman, Abington and Hingham.

Many of these Irish pubs in this area offer a wide range of delicious dishes that pair perfectly with a pint of Guinness too! From hearty stews, to fish and chips, to savory pies and traditional Irish soda bread, the South Shore's culinary scene ensures that your Guinness experience is accompanied by mouthwatering flavors. Some of them even serve the famous "South Shore Pizza too!"
No matter what pub you attend, you will hear the sweet sounds of folky Irish music. Sometimes it's live music, and other times it's blasting through the pub's speakers. Either way it will leave you wanting to leave MA and hop on a flight to Ireland!

26 Union St, Weymouth MA
www.thecottageweymouth.com
"The Cottage was set up by 4 friends from Ireland who were looking to create a good, old-fashioned neighborhood Irish bar in the Columbian square area of Weymouth." The Cottage bar also has live music and traditional Irish sessions on weekends. You walk into this bar and you are greeted by a beautiful Irish accent.

800 Broad St Weymouth, MA 02189
The Red Rose Irish Pub is CASH ONLY, so keep that in mind when you visit this pub in Weymouth. They have live music, a full kitchen, and plenty of Guinness to go around! They don't have a website, but they keep their Facebook page pretty updated.

450 Washington St., Weymouth, MA
https://www.mcswiggansweymouth.com/
"The newly revamped McSwiggan’s is your cozy, local Irish Pub and Restaurant that prides itself on delicious comfort food that is sure to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. We have created a warm, inviting atmosphere, curated amazing beers and are stirring up cocktails with a twist." They have live music Friday and Saturday starting at 7:30pm and Sunday starting at 4:30pm.

969 Washington Street, Weymouth, MA
https://madhatterwey.com/
They have great food, a great buffet and enough room at the bar and the outdoor patio to have a fun time from open til close!

116 North St., Hingham, MA
https://www.snugpub.com/
The Snug Pub is exactly what the name sounds like... it's an adorable little cozy pub in the heart of downtown Hingham. When it's busy it gets pretty tight in there, but the atmosphere is awesome!

24 Raynor Ave, Whitman, MA
No website, but plenty of reviews on YELP! This Irish pub has almost 5-stars, and they do taco tuesday!

546 Washington St Whitman, MA
https://www.mcguigganspub.com/
Live music, KENO, pizza and beer! "Situated in a completely remodeled 19th century building, the pub's ambiance exudes history and charm. With all the class of a Boston pub, McGuiggan's serves a great pub menu in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere."

707 Main St, Norwell
https://www.thetinkersson.com/
"Named for a touching parable and poem penned in 1954 by Owner Brian Houlihan’s father, Liam, The Tinker’s Son is the realization of Brian’s dream to deliver authentic dishes from his native Ireland in a home guests will find as warm as their own." They also say that they pour the "perfect pint!"

246 Brockton Ave, Abington
http://www.jpryanstavern.com/
"Voted #1 Steak Tips on the South Shore, we pride ourselves on providing delicious pub food matched with excellent service and top notch entertainment."

https://country1025.com/listicle/thirsty-heres-every-brewery-and-winery-on-the-south-shore/

https://country1025.com/listicle/western-ma-is-big-and-out-there-and-so-is-their-brewery-scene/

https://country1025.com/listicle/cape-cod-breweries-wineries/

Ayla Brown is the host of "Country Mornings With Ayla Brown" from 5:30-9am. You can read the rest of her blogs here.