St. Patrick's Day celebration goes online

Courtesy photo/JMCHS

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Patrick Lambert, principal of Judge Memorial Catholic High School (left), performed several Irish songs during the March 13 virtual St. Patrick's Day event sponsored by the Hibernian Society of Utah.

SALT LAKE CITY — Judge Memorial Catholic High School opened its auditorium doors on March 13 for the first ever virtual St. Patrick’s celebration.

Patrick Lambert, JMCHS principal, and Sean Clark, president of the Hibernian Society of Utah, welcomed everyone at the virtual celebration, which began at 11 a.m. and was transmitted until 5 p.m.

“Happy St. Patrick’s Day,” said Lambert at the beginning of the transmission, adding that it made a lot of sense to hold the celebration, which was organized by the Hibernian Society, at JMCHS.

“Judge Memorial families were immigrants from Ireland that came over here. We were welcomed by America; we were part of the original St. Paddy’s Day celebrations in the late 1800s,” he said.

“We are so grateful to have a school that was founded by Irish immigrants to this country,” Lambert added. “We are so grateful to be able to carry this on here today and be able to continue this grateful legacy.”

Clark also expressed gratitude. After two years of having the traditional St. Patrick’s Day celebration cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, being able to have a virtual celebration was a blessing, he said. “… Being here today is great; thank you, Judge Memorial, and thank you all.”

The virtual program included performances by five Irish dance companies, three traditional Irish bands, a pipe band, slide shows of pictures of past St. Patrick’s celebrations, clips from families all over Utah celebrating the day, and some of the usual shenanigans people can expect from the Irish.  

Members of the school’s student body acted as presenters of each part of the virtual celebration.

Katie Evans, the junior class representative, said that she was happy to be able to participate in the virtual celebration.

“I am very excited to be here today because I have such amazing memories of St. Patrick’s Day parades in the past, so I am very excited that this tradition is able to continue,” she said.

The Hibernian Society of Utah is planning to celebrate the traditional parade on Sept. 25.

“As we approach an end to this pandemic, our theme of ‘New Beginnings’ seems ever more fitting,” said Clark, who invited everyone to be a part of this celebration.

Lambert pledged 50 volunteers from JMCHS to make this parade possible.