PITTSBURGH — Patrick J. Byrne has been named the grand marshal for the 2026 Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Scheduled for Saturday, March 14, the parade is one of the oldest and largest in the nation, typically drawing more than 200,000 people to the city, officials say.
The Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and the Irish Society for Education and Charity Inc. announced the selection to honor Byrne’s lifetime of public service and his commitment to Irish heritage.
Byrne was born in 1955 to the late Michael J. and Marjorie H. Byrne and was the brother of the late Michael Byrne III. He was raised in Garfield. He attended St. Lawrence O’Toole Elementary School and graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1973.
Byrne began his professional career at Mesta Machine Company, where he worked for 10 years. Following the collapse of the steel industry, he began a 34-year career in public service with the City of Pittsburgh on March 17, 1983. He started his tenure as a laborer and eventually rose to the position of supervisor before his retirement.
He has been married to his wife, Jeannie Byrne, for 42 years. They have three children, Lauren, Patrick Jr. and Bridget. Byrne has never missed a Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a tradition he began by marching with his father and now continues with his own son.
Byrne’s family roots trace back to Counties Waterford and Wicklow. He is a lifelong member of the Knights of Equity Court 9, the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 23, the Gaelic Arts Society of Pittsburgh and the West Side Irish American Club of Cleveland. He also maintains a personal connection to his heritage by handcrafting traditional Irish walking sticks, or shillelaghs, which he often donates to community fundraisers and individuals in need.
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