By Stephen Smoot
As the cold weather recedes and warm spring breezes blow, the world enjoys turning its eyes to the expanding green overtaking cold winter browns and grays. This year, Shinnston plans to add to the celebration of the season with a Saint Patrick’s Day parade.
According to Brendan Gallagher from Blue and Teal Concepts, Shinnston formerly held an event celebrating the holiday “but it went by the wayside.” Last year, with COVID in the rear view mirror, the city and organizers reignited the tradition.
In addition to holding a traditional procession down Main Street, the parade serves another purpose by “helping to promote the local arts,” Gallagher said.
A local dance school will perform as part of the festivities. Ingra and Company Dance Studio in Shinnston, as its website states, “is passionately committed to providing each student the opportunity to learn the art of dance through a structured and inspiring environment.” They will demonstrate and perform the time honored art of Irish step dancing.
Also providing entertainment, the West Virginia Highlanders of Davis and Elkins University bring a very traditional, but very distinctive sound of Scottish bagpipe music. Almost five centuries ago, Scottish chieftains replaced trumpets with these musical instruments to inspire courage in their own soldiers and to strike fear into their enemies.
According to HistoricUK, “due to their inspirational influence, bagpipes were classified as weapons of war during the Highland uprisings of the early 1700s.” A Scottish soldier of the British 1st Special Service Brigade Private Bill Millin, under technically illegal orders from his commander Brigadier General Simon Fraser, also Chief of the Clan Fraser and 15th Lord Kovat, ordered him to resume the banned tradition. Private Millin, armed only with a dagger and bagpipes, led and inspired his fellow soldiers as German bullets screamed around him on Sword beach.
Two deep Celtic traditions come to the fore as part of the day, providing unique family friendly entertainment that comes from the heritage of many who will come and see. This adds another layer of not only fun, but also education as well.
“Shinnston and many areas of West Virginia have a strong heritage and tie to the Irish community,” Gallagher explained. Many of Irish heritage in Harrison County have ancestors who crossed the Atlantic and worked to construct the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the transportation artery that helped to build up Clarksburg and surrounding areas.
The parade will start Saturday March 16 at 11 AM on Main Street in Shinnston. Those who wish to take part can message the City of Shinnston through social media or email blackandtealconcepts@gmail.com
“Come out and enjoy the parade,” Gallagher said, also reminding everyone to “wear your green and Irish regalia.