Irish Heritage Week: Irish Parliament Member in Seattle’s for St. Patrick’s Day

SEATTLE - March 11, 2014 - PRLog -- The Irish Heritage Club of Seattle is proud to announce that the Grand Marshal of Seattle's 2014 St Patrick's Day Parade (to be held in downtown Seattle on March 15) is Sen. Katherine Zappone, an independent member of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Irish parliament.

While Zappone is from Ireland, also has roots in Washington. She is also a native of Spokane, grew up in Seattle, attended St. Luke Grade School, Holy Names High School and Seattle University. Sen. Zappone will be in Seattle and available for interviews from March 14 through March 20.

Katherine Zappone is an educator, public policy and management expert, and is a Commissioner with the Irish Human Rights Commission. While serving as CEO of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, she represented its membership in Ireland and internationally, contributed to public policy-making and directed its research program. She has also taught ethics, practical theology and education in Trinity College Dublin. She has published research in national equality frameworks, effective children’s services, equal opportunity in education, theology and spirituality, and human rights. She has numerous family members still living in Seattle and this is her first visit to Seattle since becoming a member of the Irish Senate in 2011.

The parade will be held Sat., March 15 at 12:30 p.m. It starts from 4th Ave at Jefferson in downtown Seattle. Go to: http://www.irishclub.org/parade.htm for more details.

The parade travels north on 4th Ave starting from Jefferson to the Reviewing Stand at Westlake Park, and officially ends at the Seattle Center with Closing Ceremonies at 2 p.m. All parade marching groups carrying signs or banners must pre-register. However, individuals or small groups of individuals are invited to march in the Parade without any pre-registration.

The event is part of several festivities associated with the 2014 Irish Week Celebration sponsored by the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle. The club is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious organization that promotes Irish cultural activities in the greater Seattle and Puget Sound areas, especially activities that promote the Irish language, Irish music, Irish dancing, Irish history, Gaelic games, and cultural exchanges between the Puget Sound area and Ireland. A full schedule of activities can be found at: http://www.irishclub.org