Grand Marshal Announced For 2019 Norwalk St. Patrick's Day Parade

NORWALK, CT — The Norwalk Police Emerald Society announced this week William Daniel Ireland III as the 2019 Norwalk Saint Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal. The parade will be held Saturday, March 9 and will step off from Veteran’s Park at 11 a.m. It will then proceed through South Norwalk.

A lifelong resident of Norwalk, Ireland has been the Chief Building Official for the city of Norwalk since 1994. According to a press release, he graduated from Fairfield College Preparatory School in 1966 and received an Associate Degree from Hartford State Technical School in 1969 before joining the United States Navy from 1969 until 1971. (To sign up for Norwalk breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Ireland earned a B.S. in Public Administration from Trinity College in 2003. He was the owner and President of Ireland Plumbing and Heating until he joined the City of Norwalk Building Department in 1992 as an Assistant Building Official. In 1994, he was promoted to Chief Building Official and in 2011 was the recipient of the Home Builder Association’s Inspector of the Year.

Since 2004, Ireland has been a member of the American Arbitration Association. He is the current Treasurer of the District 8 Building Officials Association and has served as past President of the organization. He has also been President of the Norwalk High School Touchdown club for the last 23 years. He is a current member of the South Norwalk Boat Club and Laurel Athletic Club.

The Ireland family has been a part of the City of Norwalk for the past few generations. Ireland’s uncle, Ralph Ireland, was the Finance Director for the City of Norwalk and a past Fire Commissioner. Ireland's grandfather, Alvin Sayre, was Plumbing Inspector and Police Commissioner for the city of Norwalk.

Like many Irish Americans’ stories, his family emigrated from Ireland starting in the 1800's during the great Irish Potato Famine and through the early 20th century.

Contributed press release.

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