AKRON, Ohio — Over the years, the St. Vincent-St. Mary marching band has participated in St. Patrick's Day celebrations in New York, Chicago, Disney World, and back home in Akron and Cleveland.
But their next performance will be like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Most of the Fighting Irish band is heading to Dublin, Ireland to march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday. That's no blarney, but it's still seems unreal to many of the kids.
"Honestly, I can't believe this is actually happening. Really?" said Arabelle Loyed, a senior who plays the piccolo.
Based on advice from his travel agent, Band Director Brian Campbell applied for the 2024 parade back in 2022. The application process included a video of the band and a reference.
"There's a waiting list. I mean, we had to apply two years out. Now I think the next parades are already booked the next two years, so it's kind of you got to jump on it quickly and then also be accepted," Campbell said.
The SVSM journey to the Emerald Isle includes 158 people: current students, alumni, staff and parents.
"We've gotten coverage before, you know, LeBron. Te be recognized for something like that has to do with us, like our band, not relating to LeBron. I think that's really cool," said Erika Schmitt, a senior who plays the flute.
Claire Rothkopf, a senior, is going as an Irish dancer.
"I've never left the country before so I'm really excited," she said. "I mean, there's about a half-a-million people lining the parade route. I think this year is projected to be the biggest crowd they've ever had."
SVSM Irish dance coach Jan Giles believes being in Ireland, steeped in culture, will be amazing.
"Everything they do for the St. Patrick's Day. Now, we're going to the epitome, right? We're going to Dublin where it all stats," Giles said.
To make the trip a wee bit more affordable, the kids held several fundraisers over two years, and together with donations, about $100,000 was raised.
"We've done concession stands. We've done different fundraisers with popcorn, pepperoni. We had a coffee house," Arabelle Loyed said.
The band plans to perform three songs during the two-mile parade: Livin' on a Prayer, McNamara's Band and the Notre Dame Victory March.
The parade starts around noon Ireland time. After the march, the group will have several days to tour many of Ireland's sites.
"We're gonna see the Cliffs of Moher. We're gonna see different castles. We're gonna go to a sheep farm, pet some sheep," Arabelle Loyed said.
The Fighting Irish members are fired up to take it all in and hope to leave a memorable piece of Akron behind in Ireland.
"It's really going to be the trip of a lifetime for me, and that I just get to go to kind of cap off my senior year and go with all my close friends and just tour the country with them. I think it's gonna be really meaningful," Claire Rothkopf said.
