Grand Marshals

2011 Grand Marshal

  
  

Paul Gleeson
Consul General of Ireland, Atlanta
Ireland’s first Consul General in Atlanta  

 

 

Paul Gleeson, Consul General of Ireland, Atlanta
Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue
Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen

   

 

 

Paul Gleeson was announced as Ireland’s first Consul General in Atlanta by Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen in July 2010. He took up office the following month and began the job of establishing Ireland’s first new Consulate in the United States since the 1930s.

A graduate of Trinity College Dublin and the London School of Economics, Mr. Gleeson joined Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs in 2001. He has served at the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa (where he had responsibility for reporting on political developments in Zimbabwe); at the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels; and at Ireland’s Mission to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris.

Prior to taking up his post as Consul General in Atlanta, Mr. Gleeson had responsibility for North-South cooperation within Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs, helping to implement the all-island aspects of Ireland’s landmark 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement. He has also worked in support of Ireland’s development cooperation and aid programmes in Mozambique and Lesotho.

Away from work, Paul is a fan of most sports, particularly football (soccer) and hurling. At university, he was Auditor (President) of the Trinity College Historical Society, the oldest undergraduate debating society in the world. He won the prestigious Irish Times Debating Competition and was a finalist at the World University Debating Championships.

Paul is married to Alita Byrd. They have two sons, Zach and Daniel.

PAST GRAND MARSHALS

 

2010 – 128th
Coach Vince Dooley

 

It was a distinct honor to serve as the Grand Marshal of the 2010 Atlanta St. Patrick’s parade. Throughout that day-long celebration of Ireland’s patron saint this grand and exciting event stirred for all that indomitable Irish sprit,  ”Erin Go Bragh”. (Vince D)

 

2009 – 127th
Wounded Warriors
(General Charles Campbell) 

 

 

 

 

 

2008 – Cancelled (Tornado)
Dennis Haskins
TV Star (“Saved By The Bell”)

 

 

2007 – 126th
Neville Isdell
President & CEO Coca-Cola

 

 

2006 – 125th
Atlanta Mayor
Shirley Franklin

 

 

2005 – 124th
J. Scott Wilfong
President & CEO
SunTrust, Atlanta

2004 – 123rd
US Army CWO
Ronald D. Young Jr.
POW in Iraq

2003 – 122nd
Atlanta Mayor
Shirley Franklin

 

2002 – 121st

“Irish Heros” from 9/11
NYPD Jimmy McGrath
NYFD Mike Moran
NYNJ Port Authority hief Len Mackesy

 

 

 

2001 – 120th

Actor/Author Malachi McCourt

Irish Tenor John McDermott

 

 

 

 

  

2000 – 119th
Mary Harney, Tanaiste
(Irish Deputy Prime Minister)