Jim Meenaghan
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
HOLYOKE — The Holyoke St. Patrick’s Committee announced on Dec. 10 that James “Jim” Meenaghan is the 52nd recipient of the Gallivan Award, which is awarded to a long-standing member of the association who, while not a resident of the city of Holyoke, has made significant contributions to the overall success of the parade and the association.
Daniel Gallivan is from South Hadley and was a longtime member of the St Patrick’s Committee.
The announcement was made at the Parade Committee’s monthly meeting on Dec. 10.
Meenaghan talked about being honored with this award.
He said, “Because this organization has been such an important priority for me, to have the time that I spent working with them, being acknowledged like this is one of the nicest things that’s happened to me in my life except important personal things like marriage, kids.”
In a statement from the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Committee, it said that “since joining the committee in 1976, Jim Meenaghan has spent over four decades demonstrating an unwavering commitment to its mission. Early in his involvement, he worked to build the stage and sets for the annual Grand Colleen Pageant and fashion show at the War Memorial building in downtown Holyoke. Jim also played a key role in transforming the Holyoke Mall parking lot into the Irish Village for the Celtic Festival. He served as a liaison to JFK National Award winners, assisting the chairperson of the JFK National Award Committee.”
It continued, “In 1991, Jim served as president of the committee, leading with vision and dedication. He has been a cornerstone of parade operations, organizing assembly activities in the Kmart lot to ensure a smooth start to parade day. His dependability and attention to detail have been invaluable to the committee.”
Despite relocating over 100 miles from Holyoke, Meenaghan continued traveling back to Holyoke each parade weekend and has consistently volunteered his time for the annual Road Race and parade, often arriving early and staying late to ensure everything ran seamlessly.
Besides describing himself as a big volunteer guy, he also said that his culture, family and the people he has met over the years is a big reason he keeps going back to the parade each year.
“It draws me back every year. I see a lot of people that I really respect and enjoy being with. It’s one of the things in my life that I’m proud of and enjoy doing. Wonderful people. I was born in Holyoke; I lived in Holyoke. My kids had great experiences because of the parade. They were on floats. We all plan to be in Holyoke for that weekend,” Meenaghan said.
The 2025 Parade Committee President John Beaulieu talked more about the contributions of Meenaghan.
He said, “For over 40 years, Jim Meenaghan has exemplified the spirit of dedication and service at the heart of the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke. His unwavering commitment, tireless efforts and countless contributions have left an indelible mark on our parade and our community. The Gallivan Award honors those who go above and beyond, and Jim perfectly embodies this legacy. We are proud to recognize him as this year’s recipient.”
Meenaghan will be honored at the Coronation Ball and Awards Dinner on Feb. 15, 2025.
Tickets and more information are available online at holyokestpatricksparade.com.
The 72nd Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade will be hosted on Sunday, March 23, and the 48th Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
Besides being honored with the award, Meenaghan said he looks forward to parade weekend because, “the first 30 or more years I spent, my particular degree of interest was getting the parade out of the parking lot which is an enormous task and seeing what the parade has grown to over the years to today.”
For more information, readers can visit their website at holyokestpatricksparade.com.
