Each of the girls named to the queen’s court for Countryside’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is proud of her Irish heritage.

Court members Nora Grill, of La Grange, and Ashley Karkoska, of Countryside, were announced at the city council meeting Feb. 25.

So was Irish dancer Summer Cahill Newman, 8, of Lyons, who is the parade princess.

Isabella Velez, of Countryside, a Lyons Township High School student, is queen.

Parade Princess Summer Cahill Newman performed an Irish dance. (Photo by Steve Metsch) 

Velez was out of town on vacation and missed the council meeting, but will preside as queen of the parade that kicks off at 1 p.m. March 7.

Countryside’s parade is traditionally one of the first St. Patrick’s Day parades in the Chicago area.

That’s because having the parade early makes it easier to get pipe bands and Irish dancers when not competing with other parades closer to St. Patrick’s Day on March 17.

This year marks the 10th parade in Countryside.

Mayor Sean McDermott – you can’t tell he’s Irish with that last name – said the council meeting is his favorite of the year.

And he was beaming with pride when presenting each girl with her sash, an Andy’s gift card and a potted shamrock plant.

Grill, a junior at Lyons Township High School, works at Elevate Salon, plays travel softball, is part of the Best Buddies program and “volunteers as much as possible,” said Ald. John Finn (1st), the parade chairman.

“I’m proud to show my Irish heritage and show how hard my great-grandparents worked to come (to America),” Grill said

“They came from Ireland, started a family and now I’m here. Without them, I wouldn’t be.They came on a boat. They drank wine so they wouldn’t get seasick,” Grill added.

Karkoska, 15, loves to paint and is involved in school musicals, Finn said.

She is a freshman at Acellus On-LIne Academy. Her hair, dyed a distinctive shade of purple, “is natural, totally,” she joked.

“I’m proud to be who I am. I’m proud to represent my great-great-grandparents who came here basically with nothing and built from the ground up,” Karkoska said.

Newman, who danced in the council chamber, began dancing two years ago with the Harling School of Irish Dance, 919 W.55th St., Countryside.

“I’m excited and happy to share my heritage,” said Newman, a third-grader at St. Mary’s in Riverside.

Finn was impressed by her application: “It was beautifully designed with shamrocks all over it.”

Newman is a Girl Scout and altar server, he said.

“Summer’s Irish roots come from her mother’s side,” he said.

Finn said Velez “is very excited” to be the queen.

“She plays lacrosse, is part of the journalism club and does modeling on the side,” Finn said. “She’s proud of her Irish heritage which comes from her mother’s side.”

The parade’s grand marshal is retired Cook County Circuit Court Judge Pat Rogers.

Rogers was on the bench at the Daley Center and the Bridgeview Court House from 2008 to 2020. Before he became a judge, he was the Township of Lyons supervisor from 1992 to 2008.

“He has done many things. I know his greatest accomplishment is his family,” McDermott said.

Rogers has three children and eight grandchildren. His wife, Patricia, has passed away. He turns 72 years old on March 15. He lives in La Grange.

“It’s a tremendous honor because this is one of the bigger St. Patrick’s Day parades,” Rogers said. “I’m grateful the committee nominated me.”

Although he is retired, he still dons judicial robes to swear in elected officials.

“I do it all over. I just swore in somebody last week. It’s fun. It’s always a positive thing,” Rogers said.

Rogers and the girls were led out of the city council chamber by bagpiper Kevin Connelly, of La Grange Highlands.

Connelly, 55, is a piper with the Chicago Garda Pipes & Drums, which will be leading the St. Patrick’s Day Parade this year in Gallway, Ireland.

“One of our guys has connections,” Connelly said with a smile.

Connelly has been playing the pipes for 27 years.

He laughed when reminded that some people think they can master the instrument in a few months.

“It usually takes two years. It took me about 14 months,” he said.

When Connelly is not playing the pipes he is the senior advisor to the deputy chief of staff at the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.

Wanting to learn the pipes sort of came with his roots.

“Being of Irish descent, you see how much fun these guys have and you see what they do. … And you get a chance to honor fallen officers and play for people,” he said.

He said “there’s something wrong with you” if you don’t get teary eyed hearing “Amazing Grace” played on the pipes.

Money raised by the parade will be split by Scout Troop 19 and the St. Cletus Food Pantry, Finn said.

The parade starts on 55th Place near Blackstone. It then heads south to Plainfield Road, and east to Brainard Avenue where it turns south.

The route then heads east and south on Longview Drive before rejoining Brainard and finishing just south of 62nd Street near the city hall.

Once again, free trolleys will run from 2 to 7 p.m. taking revelers to and from Local 150, the Flagg Creek Golf Course clubhouse, Rafferty’s, Uncle John’s, The Mood, Wolf’s Head and Caraway’s.

Food and drink specials will be offered at most. Some will have live music and Irish dancers. Visitors to Flagg Creek will see the newly renovated clubhouse.

Kevin Connelly leads the way for grand marshal Pat Rogers and queen’s court member Ashley Karkoska. (Photo by Steve Metsch)

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