Here's the beginning of the Parade. Evidently this same group (Pipers) has led the parade for years. The parade was not what we expected but was fun. We left just after it started and hope that the remainder of the parade may have included someone other than a ranking politician or their families. The weather was just what you would expect from Ireland: wet, windy and cold. The first to come by included the mayor, a minister from Ireland, and the governor. The parade halted and the mayor and Irish minister said a few words. Of course, it couldn't have been Irish without the blessing from a priest. The pictures in order include the pipers, the governor, the Irish minister, and the mayor. We left soon after the attorney general's float and the banner carrying group of the Daley family. We spent the rest of the day having lunch, going to the library, and going to the north end of Michigan to get the boys some new fishing shirts: the new columbia store opened and offered some great discounts. We were going to visit a few pubs, but judging by the number of drunks we decided we'd wait for a better time.



