Auburn haired colleens at Mundelein College will conduct a special war bond drive, wearing green ribbons in their hair, March 16, 1944. From left, in front, are Sue Gibbons, Alyce Jean Kiley, Peggy DeBall and Virginia Rogers. In back, from left, are Jeanne O’Connor, Grace O’Connor and Margaret Mary Kaindl.
Stephen Lamb holds a shamrock in 1926.
William Cosgrave, first president of the Irish Free State, left, and the Rev. William J. McNamee, of Old St. Patrick’s Church, shake hands during Cosgrave’s visit to Chicago on Jan. 22, 1928. Old St. Pat’s was the cornerstone of Irish culture in Chicago.
John E. Conroy crowns Eileen Ryan the Irish Queen, who will reign over the Irish Countries Ball, in 1938 in Chicago. “Miss Eileen Ryan was a happy Irish colleen yesterday when John E. Conroy, clerk of the Circuit court, placed a crown on her head. The crown meant that Miss Ryan, who is 19 years old, was selected in a popularity contest to reign as queen at the 60th annual Irish counties ball Saturday,” wrote the Tribune on Dec. 30, 1937.
Shirley Himmen, from left, Dorothy Lysaght and Virginia Dale are Irish “Colleens” in the Irish Village at the Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago in 1934.
C. Geller, from left, bagpiper Walter Kilroy and Peter J. Peel, in 1926. Peel was born in Ireland and came to Chicago in 1893 for the World’s Fair but stayed and became an important part of Chicago’s athletic scene. Peel started the first soccer association in Illinois.
Mayor Richard J. Daley, center, walks down State Street with other dignitaries during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 15, 1957. About 10,000 people attended.
Eileen O’Connor does an Irish jig to the strains of the bagpipe played by Thomas Ryan, a member and founder of the Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band. The two were attending a festival of the Chicago Irish-American Societies at the Knights of Columbus Auditorium in 1931.
Louis O’Doherty and Julia Duzeski in the Irish Village at the World’s Fair in 1934 in Chicago.
William Cosgrave, first president of the Irish Free State, visits with his cousin Mrs. Frank O’Donnell, left, and his aunt Mrs. John Byrne, right, at the Drake Hotel in Chicago on Jan. 21, 1928. The children are O’Donnell’s daughters Laurette, 7, and Camille, 9.
Margaret Brody, left, and Katherine Fitzpatrick are to officiate the ceremony for the raising of the Irish Republic flag to the masthead of the USS Theodore Roosevelt on a Lake Michigan outing in 1931.
Irish-American dancers perform at Chicago’s Free Fair in July 1968.
Mayor Richard J. Daley, center, leads the procession down State Street during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17, 1959.
Patty Shaw, from left, Judy Schock and Kathleen Henagahan dance the Highland Fling at the Eighth Annual Irish Feis presented by the Harp & Shamrock Club in June 1952 at St. Philip’s Stadium in Chicago.
Marita Madigan, a Chicago Park District employee, is surrounded by first-grade students from Westwood Elementary School of Park Forest who came to enjoy the flowers and the shamrock display at the Garfield Park Conservatory in March 1968.
A leprechaun is presented to Mayor Richard J. Daley, center, by Patrick Fitzpatrick of Wexford, Ireland, during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade as Lord Mayor Robert Briscoe, left, of Dublin, looks on in March 1962.
The West Side Irish Club float heads down State Street during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17, 1967.
Thomas J. Lynch flies his Irish flag at 2966 Columbus Ave. on March 16, 1969, on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day.
A parade float heads down State Street during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1970.
Supporters of Irish Northern Aid rally at the Civic Center in downtown Chicago on May 19, 1974. Irish Northern Aid is an activist organization that campaigns for the civil rights of the residents of Northern Ireland.
Supporters of Irish Northern Aid rally at the Civic Center in downtown Chicago on May 19, 1974. Irish Northern Aid campaigns for the civil rights of the residents of Northern Ireland.
The Cook County employees’ float travels down State Street during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in March 1974.
The 1978 Chicago St. Patrick’s Day queen is Kelly Kathleen Kennedy.
During his run for president, Edward “Ted” Kennedy made an appearance at Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 18, 1980.
Demonstrators plead their case outside the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in 1982. They are protesting the government’s arrest of more than 20 people suspected of having been political activists in Ireland.
Patricia O’Connell is crowned St. Patrick’s Day Queen by Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne in 1982.
State’s Attorney Richard M. Daley and his wife, Maggie, march in the Irish Parade down Western Avenue at 103rd Street on Chicago’s South Side on March 13, 1983.
Youngsters get close to the action as the South Side Irish Parade files down Western Avenue. Among the dignitaries marching in the parade were Republican mayoral candidate Bernard Epton and State’s Attorney Richard M. Daley.
St. Patrick’s Day revelers frolic in the snow near the intersection of Delaware Place and State Street on March 18, 1984. A late-winter snowstorm made the going tough for those out celebrating.
The third annual Learning of the Green Festival includes a performance by a Trinity Academy of Irish Dance and Irish harp player Lily McDonagh on March 3, 1984.
A Navy band marches across the shamrock-decorated pavement at Dearborn and Washington streets on March 17, 1987. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade included 50,000 marchers, 73 floats, 47 bands and 55 marching units.
Local musicians play Irish music in the Abbey Pub on March 2, 1988.
Sean Cleland on fiddle, right, leads The Drovers at the Hidden Shamrock pub in Chicago on Feb. 22, 1989.
Jack O’Loughlin listens to Bridget Enright of the Shannon Rovers play the bagpipes in 1989.
The ornately costumed Sheila Tully Dancers dance down Dearborn Street in the 38th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 18, 1993.
