Grand Marshall travels 1,340 miles to attend parade
By John Faucher
The Shamrock Club of New Dublin successfully brought back its Grand Parade and Irish Fest Saturday, March 19, after a two-year pandemic shut down.
The event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.
The nearly 40-year long tradition is more than an economic boon for the community—it’s a celebration of families and culture that blossomed into something more like a homecoming.
That’s something 2022 Parade Grand Marshal Dick Johnson has covered extensively during his 30 years volunteering and producing programs for the City of New London cable access channel.
Johnson and his wife Cheri both retired from the city in 2020.
Cheri retired from a lifelong career with the New London Police Department.
There were no retirement parties during the pandemic shut down.
So the couple quietly slipped into their new home in Clermont Florida.
Their home is only minutes away from Dick’s lifelong dream destination near Walt Disney World in Orlando.
“I’ve always just felt that childhood enjoyment every time I go there, you know what I mean.” said Johnson.
“When I walk into the Magic Kingdom I feel at home, I’m happy,” he said.
A highlight of his retirement was being there for Disney’s 50th Anniversary Celebration on Oct. 1. 2021.
He often draws a correlation between moments there and memories of New Dublin’s festivities.
“I think in a way for all of us, it becomes a special place where all the worries of this world disappear,” said Johnson.
“That’s how life should be for a kid. It should be fun, imaginative and colorful.
Yeah, people have changed, but when really you walk into one of those magic moments, you know it,” said Johnson. “You Just do.”
As for this year’s parade he said, “It was worth every minute and every mile. I got to see so many people in New Dublin smiling again.”
“To me it was just a huge success, we had so much fun. We got to see a lot of former co-workers and a lot of people we knew for 49 years. It was so nice to see them again.
“Yeah, I live in Florida right now, but there’s still a part of New Dublin in me that will always be there,” said Johnson.
“I just hope the people here realize how much the Shamrock Club really does and donates back into this community, not just on this one day, but year-round.”