Coast will be wearing the green for St. Patrick's
Kelly, moss, grass or verdant -- however you describe it, green is the color for March, and right in the middle of it all is St. Patrick's Day on March 17.
Most St. Patrick's parades on the Coast roll the Saturday before the day honoring Ireland's patron saint. Long Beach is the exception -- its parade rolled Saturday for the fourth year. Now prepare for Round Two of green and white beads, cups, plush toys and stew-friendly veggies, when four parades will roll across the Coast.
Hibernia, Biloxi, 2 p.m. March 12
The Hibernia Marching Society was organized in Biloxi in 1978 and incorporated as The Hibernia Marching Society of Mississippi Inc. in 1989. The purpose of the society is to promote interest in Irish heritage and to develop a great appreciation for Irish culture. Allied with those objectives are the desire to experience good fun and good fellowship among members of the society who are Irish by birth, marriage or desire.
McKenzie Irish, colleen
McKenzie Irish, the daughter of Troy and Kim Irish, comes from a long line of Irish heritage. Her great-grandfather, Merton Gilbert Irish, has passed down many stories of her great-, great-, great-grandfather Earl Monroe Irish and his wife's journey to the United States after escaping the Irish potato famine in Ireland. The Irish clan first landed in New York then traveled west to Montana and, over the years, scattered throughout Washington state and Northern California, where they still reside today.
McKenzie is a senior at the University of Southern Mississippi, majoring in political science and minoring in legal studies and holds a 3.9 grade point average. After graduating, she plans to attend law school. She is the president of the University of Southern Mississippi Student Government Association and a member of the National Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. During the summer of her sophomore year, she lived and studied in Costa Rica. She has also worked as a political intern for about two and a half years.
McKenzie is a member of the Biloxi Lions Club, a volunteer at the Gulf Coast Women's Center for Non-Violence and a small-business owner, through which she advocates the importance of reading in elementary schools. She was crowned Miss Mississippi Junior Teen in 2010 and the Biloxi Camellia Queen in 2012.
It has been McKenzie's dream to become the colleen of the Hibernia Marching Society ever since her mother took her to her first St. Patrick's Day Parade when she was a child, and, now, that dream has finally come true.
John Carter, grand marshal
John Carter, son of casino resort owner Rick Carter, was born and raised in Gulfport. John is a graduate of Gulfport High School and attended college at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College as well as Tulane University, where he was enrolled in the casino resort studies program.
John began his tourism career as an executive host at Copa Casino, where he excelled at guest relations, as well as recruitment and retention of high value gaming customers. To broaden his experience in the tourism industry, John later joined the staff at Chili's in the management training program and then at Red Lobster as a restaurant manager. When Island View Casino Re
sort opened in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, John returned to the casino industry as an executive host and currently serves as the business development executive at Island View. John currently sits on the Regional Tourism Bureau Board and was on the previous commission before the merger of all three coastal counties. In addition to his professional achievements, John is a talented singer and has won several vocal competitions as well as finishing in the Top Five of the Search for a Super Star Competition. John loves giving back to the community through numerous charities on the Gulf Coast, such as the Red Cross and the Humane Society of South Mississippi. John is an avid fisherman and a member of the Gulf Coast Conservation Association, where he works on conservation activities to assure the perpetuation of the Gulf Coast fisheries for future generations, as well as a member of Ducks Unlimited, where he helps to create awareness to the dangers of the dwindling population of waterfowl in Mississippi. John lives in Saucier with his wife, Amy, and son Lucas.
Pass Christian Krewe of Blarney, 2 p.m. March 12
The Krewe of Blarney marks its 21st year during its Parade Walk of 2016. From early on, it was a takeoff on the Pete Fountain Halfast Walking group in New Orleans.
It is the only St. Paddy walking parade on the Gulf Coast.
Through the years, only the venues have changed where Irish corned beef and cabbage is served, and each year a new colleen was selected to ride in her decorated chariot and a new grand marshal dressed in finery would lead the Walk. The route remains the same: Scenic Drive from City Hall to Davis Avenue and north to Second Street.
The parade is sponsored by the Kaptains Klub, composed of local businessmen, retired gentlemen and those who toil with their minds and brawn. Dressed in tuxedos and wearing sashes and wielding a flower cane, they stop to hug the folks along the way.
Bab's Babes, a strutting group of fancy dressed ladies in black and green, perform an Irish jig and twirl with a bit of second lining to boot.
The colleen and grand marshal will be honored and toasted along the walk at several sponsored Toasting Stops with a few Irish limericks provided by the engaging Kaptains.
Colleen Lucielle Rafferty, colleen
Colleen Lucielle Rafferty, 21, is a resident of Pass Christian. She graduated from Our Lady Academy, class of 2012, and is a senior at Mississippi State University with a double major in human sciences and special education. She is pursuing a career in early intervention. In Starkville, she is employed at Scotty's Liquor. She is the daughter of Donald and Susan Rafferty of Pass Christian and has two older sisters, Margaret and Victoria. Her father was the 2010 grand marshal.
Jourdan Nicaud, grand marshal
Jourdan Nicaud of Pass Christian is the son of Kent and Jenny Nicaud of Pass Christian. He is the brother of Field Nicaud. He graduated from Saint Stanislaus College, where he was a letterman in football. He was a recipient of the Character Cup, president of the school and a member of the Honor Society. He attended Tulane University on a scholarship and was a member of their NCAA football team and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Jourdan is a local restaurateur and owns the Bacchus Group of Restaurants along with the Oyster Reef Club. He is a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church in Long Beach. He is a member of the Harrison County Republican Executive Committee and the Pass Christian Yacht Club. He enjoys spending his leisure time cooking and is an avid moviegoer.
Waveland Civic Association, 2 p.m. March 12
The Waveland Civic Association is the culmination of an idea born in Villere's bar on Coleman Avenue in Waveland in 1964. Friends who gathered every St. Patrick's Day to celebrate with corned beef and cabbage decided they needed a parade.
This year's colleen is Jill Seymour, and grand marshal is Chad Whitney.
O'Blarney Society, Pascagoula, 2 p.m. March 12
The O'Blarney Society will hold its first parade this year, at 2 p.m. Saturday in Pascagoula. For its first parade, the O' Blarney Society will honor local heroes as the grand marshals and a school teacher as the colleen.
Several krewes for the Jackson County Carnival Association will participate, as well some other civic organizations.
Angie Gibson, colleen
Teacher Angie Gibson will serve as the colleen of the parade. She is a teacher at Colmer Middle School in Pascagoula.
Jason Murphy, grand marshal
Jason Murphy is a resident of Pascagoula He started his career with the Pascagoula Police Department as a Reserve Officer. He has been a patrolman with the department since 2012. He has a daughter, Ashley, and is engaged to Pascagoula police dispatcher Kim Dale.
Matthew O'Brien, grand marshal
Matthew O'Brien is a resident of Ocean Springs. He started his career with the Pascagoula Fire Department in June of 2008. He is married to Lindsay Foster O'Brien, who works for the Ocean Springs School District.
Ocean Springs St. Patrick's Celebration, all day March 17
Ocean Springs' seventh St. Paddy's celebration will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. "downtown, uptown and all around town," said the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce, the sponsors. Businesses will offer something green, specials and more.
The St. Paddy's Dessert Crawl will be at various restaurants from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Participating restaurants will be offering "green" desserts in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are $10. Details and tickets: 875-4424.
This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 7:24 PM with the headline "Coast will be wearing the green for St. Patrick's."