Mayor proclaims March 17 Saint Patrick’s Day and urges mayors to press for Irish reunification
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Summary
Mayor Ginther read a city proclamation declaring March 17 Saint Patrick’s Day in Columbus and used the occasion to urge mayors nationwide to press governments to recognize the expressed will of the people in Ireland, tying the city's observance to a broader call for action.
Mayor Ginther read a proclamation declaring March 17 Saint Patrick’s Day in Columbus and urged other U.S. mayors to press national governments to recognize the expressed will of the people in Ireland.
"It is high time for the reunification... of Ireland," the mayor said, calling on U.S. municipal leaders to "weigh in and lean in, to collectively put pressure on the governments to recognize the free will and votes of the people of Ireland." He said his remarks drew on his experience studying in Ireland and on his work with the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
The mayor also noted the city’s long history of marking the day: Columbus first issued a Saint Patrick’s Day proclamation in 1967. Event organizers encouraged residents to attend the Saint Patrick's Day parade, which the Shamrock Club said will begin near COSI, proceed east on Broad Street, then north on High Street and conclude at the Columbus Convention Center.
City and county officials on stage joined the mayor in presenting the proclamation and in recognizing local Irish organizations for their charitable work. The ceremony tied the symbolic proclamation to local civic traditions and to ongoing community-support efforts ahead of the March 17 parade.
The event closed with instructions for a procession from City Hall to Broad and High for shamrock painting and parade preparations.