The Glenside St. Patrick’s Day Association announced today that Frances and Bill Donahue have been named dual Grand Marshals for the second annual Glenside St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday, March 21.

From their announcement:

Both Frances and Bill are well-known and beloved in the Glenside community, and are proud representatives of their Irish heritage.

Frances Cummins Donahue was born in Ballyfermot, Dublin, Ireland, and immigrated to Philadelphia in 1971. She lovingly passed on her Irish heritage to her 4 children, Kerri, Bill Jr., Noreen, and Brendan. For over 25 years, Frances has been a dedicated instructor at the Cummins School of Irish Dance. In her youth, she placed second in the All-Ireland Irish Dance Championships at age 14. She’s been involved with the Dublin Society of Philadelphia and ran a home daycare for 37 years, caring for many children in the Glenside area.

Bill Donahue Sr., was raised in Philadelphia, the son of an Irish father from County Derry. Bill has been a pillar of the local Irish community, serving as president of the Derry Society and as a board member of the Irish Center and the Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame Society. He’s also supported the Cummins School of Irish Dance for many years.

Applications are now open to participate in the parade. To apply, you can click here.

A “Countdown to the Parade Fundraiser” will be held on Friday, February 27 from 7:00pm – 11:00pm at the Knights of Columbus in Glenside. More details here and on the association’s Facebook page.

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