FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CONTACT: Tim Ryan
PHONE: (501) 868-6416
EMAIL: LRIrishParade@sbcglobal.net

Tim and Barbara O’Brien Named Co-Grand Marshals
of the 2008 Little Rock St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Tim and Barbara O’Brien have been named Co-Grand Marshals of the Ninth Annual 2008 Rock to North Little Rock St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Barbara O’Brien is a past officer of the Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas (ICSA), the organization presenting the Parade, and a long-standing board member and volunteer for the organization. Tim O’Brien was involved in the early meetings that formed the organization and has been involved in the Little Rock Irish community since he first arrived to Arkansas with his wife in 1984.

“I was very surprised to receive the letter,” said Barbara. “I read the letter and was flabbergasted!” Both Tim and Barbara say it is an honor to represent the Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas and the Little Rock Irish community.

Tim O’Brien is originally from Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland. He was educated at the National University of Ireland in Dublin and then left Ireland in 1961 to attend graduate school at the University of Toronto. He received his doctorate in biology and bio-chemistry from the University of Illinois and eventually found his way to the University of Southern California where he was on the medical school faculty. It was while living in Santa Monica, Ca. that he met Barbara, who is a native of Leicester, New York.

“The landlady of our apartment building introduced us because we were both Catholic,” said Barbara. “The landlady brought Tim up to my apartment to meet me.” Tim adds, “Barbara was in a cast due to an accident so we played a lot of cards to pass the time.”

In 1984, Tim was offered a position of associate professor at UAMS in Little Rock. He now works there as a professor in the OB/Gyn department. They found Little Rock to be a friendly, small and convenient city. “Little Rock is a big small town, a very supportive and kind place, very hospitable,” said Tim. “It makes life easy to be here. There’s a lot of opportunity for development and enhancement of all our cultures.”

Both Tim and Barbara were invited to the first meeting to organize the Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas – a not-for-profit, public service organization founded in 1996 to educate Arkansans in aspects of the culture and history of Ireland.  The Society provides Irish food and objects of Irish art for folk festivals and fairs, provides concerts of Irish music and dance, and participates in community service programs and events – all in an effort to reconnect Arkansans with their Irish heritage. 

The O’Brien’s worked on the initial St. Patrick’s Day festivals the organization held at area churches during its early years. At that time, Barbara served as corresponding and recording secretary for the organization. In 2000, the organization presented its first St. Patrick’s Day Parade. “The Parade was a natural outgrowth of the Irish community,” said Tim.

The O’Brien’s were awarded the title of Co-Grand Marshals of the 2008 Rock to North Little Rock St. Patrick’s Day Parade by ICSA Parade Chairman, Tim Ryan, who recognized them for having given their “time and financial support to help bring Irish culture to Arkansas.” Each year, the organization members nominate and select someone to honor as Grand Marshal. This is the first year “co-grand marshals” have been named.

The O’Brien’s have been married 37 years and have three children – Katie, McDara and Bridget – and two grandchildren – Sophia and Noah. They have lived in Little Rock nearly 24 years and are members of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church.

The 2008 Rock to North Little Rock St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 1 p.m. The Parade will start at 4th and Rector Streets, just east of I-30 near the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Distribution Center. The Parade will travel through River Market from Sherman (near the Museum of Discovery), crossing over the Main Street Bridge, through the Argenta Historic District, ending at 6th and Main in North Little Rock.

Headlining the St. Patrick’s Day Parade this year will be the Lyons College Bagpipe Band from Batesville. The Parade will also feature Irish music and dancing, Irish Wolfhounds, the River Rail Trolley, clowns, floats, antique cars and much more.

Following the Parade from 2:00 to 5 p.m. will be a “Dancing at the Crossroads” event at the Cregeen’s Irish Pub at the corner of Main and Broadway in North Little Rock. The event will feature Irish dance performances from the McCafferty School of Irish Dance and the O’Donovan School of Irish Dance, and many musical performances including the Lyon College bagpipe band, singer/songwriter Peg Roach Loyd, Irish folk bands Kilburn Highroad and Sligo, the Arkansas Celtic Music Society session musicians and many others. Admission to the event is free.

ICSA was originally founded by a group of Irish nationals, many of whom had immigrated to Arkansas during the nursing shortage of the 1980’s.  Recruited by area hospitals, nurses from Ireland and Great Britain came to Arkansas originally intending to work here a few years and return to their homeland.  Instead they married and settled in Little Rock and began to raise families. As their children grew, they realized the importance of passing on their Irish culture and heritage to their American-born children.  Together with their Irish-American friends, they formed the Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas with the following goals:

The group has about 80 members who share a love for and interest in Ireland.