Kenneth and Susan Walsh, residents of the Lehigh Valley for the past 20 years, feel truly blessed to serve as King and Queen of the 65th annual Allentown St. Patrick's Parade. The St. Patrick's Parade is a yearly tradition their family looks forward to. Kenneth and Susan will celebrate their 30th year of marriage on March 19th - what a great way to celebrate - as King and Queen!

Kenneth and Susan are members of Holy Trinity Parish in Egypt, and they have two grown children who both graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School. Shannon is married and currently working in the Lehigh Valley as a school psychologist. Their son, Connor, was born on St. Patrick's Day. Happy birthday, Connor! After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, he put down roots in that area. He is a successful marketing representative in the insurance business.

In addition to the parade, another family tradition is celebrating Irish history through the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) and New York Police Department (NYPD) Emerald Society. Kenneth's father, Edward B. Walsh Sr., was a founding member of the NYPD Emerald Society. Carrying on the tradition, Kenneth is retired from the NYPD where he served as the Emerald Delegate for 15 years. Since 1995, Kenneth has also held many positions in the AOH. He currently serves as the Division 1 Tir na nOg President, a position he has held for the past 5 years. He is also the State Director for District 7 of the AOH. The AOH organization is founded on the values of Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity.

Susan is currently employed in the travel business as a manager. After returning from Ireland and attending the Notre Dame football game in August, she can't wait for their next adventure. Kenneth is a board member of the Columbian home in Allentown, and he enjoys spending time helping others. Susan and Kenneth have welcomed children into their home from Ireland through Project Children.

As a dual citizen of Ireland and the United States, Kenneth's roots trace back to Old Castle, County Meath, and County Cork. Susan's roots connect back to County Tyrone in Ireland. We are honored to have Kenneth and Susan represent the Irish community by leading the parade down Tilghman Street this year!

Frank and Tina Ford are honored and excited to serve as King & Queen of the 64th Annual Allentown St. Patrick's Parade. They both grew up in the First & Sixth Wards and have attended the St. Patty's parade since childhood. The Ford Family has a long history of parade royalty starting with Frank's parents Frank and Catherine Ford in 1985, brother Bill and Rosemary Ford in 2000, and niece Roey and Greg Ebert in 2015.

Frank and Tina are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary of their marriage at Immaculate Conception Church in June 1973. He graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School and Tina graduated from Dieruff High School both in 1970. Frank graduated from DeSales University in 1974 and has served as a trustee there since 2010. They have been members of St. Joseph's Church in Limeport for 37 years. Frank is president at St. Luke's Sacred Heart Hospital and Tina is a legal assistant at a law firm in Bethlehem. They are the proud parents of Regina, Amy, and Christopher and are blessed with 7 grandchildren Eva, Mia, Abraham, Micah, Cole, Owen, and John Paul.

Frank's Irish heritage in Allentown started in the 1880's when his great grandfather Owen Keeney, Sr. emigrated from County Donegal (Glenties) and married Catherine Gaffney at Immaculate Conception in 1888. Owen Keeney Jr. married Kathryn O'Brien at the church in 1920. His parents, Frank and Catherine Ford, were married there in 1942. The Ford line started in America as coal miners in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Frank's paternal great grandfather John Graham, who emigrated from County Mayo, served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Barri and Lisa are honored to have been selected as King and Queen of the 2021 Allentown St. Patrick's Day Parade, following in the footsteps of Lisa's parents, 2012 King & Queen Ed & Mary Ward.

A graduate of Liberty High School, Barri is a first responder dedicated to his community. He became an EMT in 1993, entered the volunteer fire service in 1995, and later served as a combat medic in the U.S. Army Reserves. He volunteered as a rescue worker following the 9/11 tragedy, as well as Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Barri has been a Paramedic with the City of Bethlehem for 18 years.

A graduate of Moravian Academy and Rochester Institute of Technology, Lisa has worked as a freelance photographer and graphic designer for over 20 years. She applies those talents as a valued member of the Allentown St. Patrick's Parade Committee, designing the program book, advertising materials, and photographing all of the events.

Attending high schools in the same town and having friends in common, it's a wonder that Barri and Lisa did not meet until a decade after graduation, when Lisa relocated back to the Lehigh Valley from Rochester. Married in 2008, Barri and Lisa are true Allentownians, making their home in the West End, just one block off of the parade route! Lisa also works a few days a week at BoutiqueToGo on 19th Street. When not at work, the pair loves to travel, or relax at home with their dog, Ronin.

Lisa's Irish roots reach back to County Donegal through the Ward and Connelly families. Barri has Welsh roots, though his family resided in Ireland for two generations. Both Barri and Lisa loved exploring their heritage on their first trip to the British Isles in 2013, and look forward to visiting again soon! They also enjoy celebrating their Celtic heritage with their "Parade Family," as the committee has become such a warm and welcoming group of friends over the years. They are thrilled to represent the Irish community on such a special day.

Phil and Kim Ferguson are thrilled and honored to have been selected as the King and Queen of 2019 Allentown St. Patrick's Day Parade. Phil's parents, Patrick and Marian Ferguson, served as King and Queen in 1991, and Phil's brother and sister-in-law, Sean and Wendy Ferguson, were King and Queen in 2010. Phil's Irish roots run deep, and he has traveled to Ireland many times with Kim and family, but nothing compares to the last trip with his father in 2015 when they were able to connect with family in County Mayo. There he learned of his family history going back to his great-great- grandfather. Phil, a member of both the AOH and Hogan's Social Club, has been active on the Parade Committee since he was a teenager, and currently serves as Vice-President/Operations Director. Kim, also of Irish descent, was born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth. She is also an active Parade Committee volunteer who has not missed a parade in 18 years.

Phil and Kim are parishioners of St. John Fisher in Catasauqua. When they married 8 years ago, Phil happily became stepfather to Kim's wonderful children: Jessica and her husband Jeff Hudak are both teachers working towards their masters degrees. They currently reside in Quakertown with their silky terrier, Donatello. Nathan is a junior majoring in Finance with a Political Science Minor at Penn State University, University Park. This summer he plans on working for UBS in NYC as an Incoming Investment Banking Summer Analyst.

Kim, a graduate of Nazareth High School, is the Office Manager at Ian D. Webb Insurance. Kim was a youth Cheerleading Coach and Treasurer for CYCA when Jessica was in school. Phil, a William Allen High School graduate, currently works at Kids Peace. He is a former route/sales manager for Stroehmann and Frito Lay. He coached CYAA and Connie Mack baseball for many years and served as Operations Director with the Allentown Flag Day Association and several military parades.

Brian and Kate Johnson are honored and excited to serve as King & Queen of the 61st Annual Allentown St. Patrick's Day Parade. They both grew up in Allentown; Kate in the 6th Ward and Brian in the Hamilton Park area. Kate's family has deep roots in the parade. Her parents, Jim and Betty McGorry, served as king and queen in 1972. Her aunt and uncle, Joe and Edna McGorry and cousins, Dennis and Maryellen McGorry, were kings and queens in 1980 and 2005, respectively. Her uncle, Raymond Cramsey, was one of the original parade organizers in the 1950s. As a very Irish-looking little girl, Kate served on the "courts" of her mother and father and many other kings and queens in the parade. For many years, the McGorrys held an open house immediately following the parade. Brian's sister and brother-in-law, Bob and Cathy Boyle, were king and queen in 1982 and his sister, Sheila, then a senior at Allentown Central Catholic High School, was the St. Patrick's Day Observance Society's queen in 1964.

Brian and Kate met in 1982 and married at Immaculate Conception Church in 1984. Kate grew up in Immaculate Conception Parish and Brian in the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Siena Parish. They both graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School. They have been members of St. Thomas More Parish for 28 years. They have continuously lived and worked in and around Allentown, Brian first as a lawyer and now as a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County, and Kate first as a nurse and now as an admissions manager with Lehigh Valley Hospital Rehabilitation Center. They have reared 4 wonderful children, Brandon, Sarah, Matthew and Emily, and were blessed with their first grandchild, James, last Spring.

Kate's Irish heritage includes the Rodgers line through her mother back to County Donegal and the McGorry line through her father back to County Tyrone. Brian's Irish heritage includes the Johnson (in Ireland, MacSeain) line through his father back to County Derry and the O'Donnell line through his mother, back to County Donegal. For generations, Kate's family lived in Allentown and Brian's in the Hazelton area. Brian's uncle, Andrew O'Donnell, is responsible for inspiring Brian's family to move to Allentown in 1961 and for effecting the fateful meeting of Brian and Kate 21 years later.

Both Marie and Colby grew up in Allentown, Marie in 6th ward, and Colby in 13th ward. Marie worshiped at Immaculate Conception Church and Colby at St. Catharine of Sienna. Marie graduated from Central Catholic in 1958 and Colby from Allentown High in 1956. In 1957, Marie was on the St. Patrick's Parade Queen's court. Her Uncle Buck and Annie Boyle were early committee members.

They met in 1956 and married at Immaculate Conception in 1959 while Colby was still in the Navy. In 1965 they moved to Coopersburg and still live in the same house where they raised 7 children; 5 girls and 2 boys. The family now includes 20 Grandchildren & 11 Great-grandchildren

Marie's Irish lineage is through Brigitte and Cornelius O'Donnell, who emigrated from Donegal in the 1800's. Her father, Daniel "Bunn" Donohue's family came from County Claire. We proudly recall that her Aunt Annie and Uncle George "Bucky" Boyle were St. Patrick's Parade King and Queen in 1967. Her Aunt Mary Donohue and Uncle Samuel McGovern also were St. Patrick's parade King and Queen in 1961.

Colby's mother's maiden name was McCoy, whose family emigrated from Derry; in the Ulster region, during the early 1800's. Grandparents Thomas and Florence McCoy lived in Newry, a small Irish developed town in western Pennsylvania.

Marie stayed at home to raise their children and later had a few part-time jobs when they were older. Colby had a 30 year career with IBM and is now President and co-owner of Computer Management & Marketing Associates for the past 26 years.

    

Angela and Steve Faidley are originally from Vestal, New York and moved to the Lehigh Valley in 1986. Married 35 years, Angela is the owner of Out of Our Minds Art Studio in Macungie and has served on the Parade Committee for the last 5 years. Steve works for Wells Fargo as a Systems Support Consultant / IT. Their Parade ties go back to 1998 when they attended their first Coronation Ball and have had a float in the Parade since 2002.

    

Greg and Roey Ebert continue a family tradition, with their coronation as King and Queen of the Allentown St. Patrick's Parade. Roey is a third generation Queen. Roey's Grandmother Catherine Ford was queen in 1985 and her mother, Rosemary was queen in 2000. "I feel like I am part of the family tradition of having fun and walking in the Parade and enjoying Allentown in all its Irish glory!" states Roey.

The Lehigh Valley knows Greg as the owner of Ebert Furniture Gallery in Allentown. Roey is the creator of the Emmy nominated PBS39 show Roey's Paintbox along with her studio of the same name located in Allentown. "The Parade brings us all together, Irish or not, in the spirt of celebration and friendship. It is a chance to celebrate a community" states Roey. This year they celebrate themselves and their family of six children; Maximus, Viven, Jack, Lana, Duke, and Pierce.

    

Sean and Kimberly Gallagher of Whitehall are the 2014 King and Queen of the Allentown St. Patrick's Parade. Sean and Kimberly, both life-long residents of the Lehigh Valley, are part of an Allentown St. Patrick's Parade dynasty. Sean's parents, Hugh and Jeanne Gallagher, were King and Queen in 1995 and continue to remain active on the Parade Board and Committee. Sean has been at every Parade since his birth in 1970 and has marched in every Parade since his parents were elected. Kimberly has attended every Parade since her marriage to Sean twenty-one years ago. Sean and Kimberly have two children. Connor is a 19-year-old sophomore at Moravian College and Keelin is 11 and a sixth grade student at St. John Vianney Regional School in Allentown. Being proud of their Irish roots has made its way down to Keelin who won the Parade's Annual Poster Contest this year. Keelin's work will be featured as a fold out in the 2014 Parade Program Book as well as at the Inaugural Irish Cultural Community Day being held March 22, 2014 at the Allentown Fairgrounds.

In addition to being named the 2014 King, Sean is also a nominee for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's 2014 Man of the Year campaign. Kim is the owner of Bel-Esprit Salon on New Street in Bethlehem, and Sean is a Financial Advisor for UBS Financial Services, Inc. Sean and Kimberly will be riding in a white coach drawn by a team of Belgium horses followed by seven Parade divisions each led by a pipe band.