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Go Bragh Parade Is Back in Essex

After being canceled twice in row due to the coronavirus, the annual Go Bragh Parade in Essex will resume on Saturday, March 19, stepping off from Town Hall, 29 West Avenue, at 10 a.m. The Irish-themed parade was cancelled the previous two years due to COVID-19, but with the drop in cases in Connecticut, town officials like Maryellen Barnes are ready and excited to bring the beloved parade back.

“It’s really a time of celebration,” said Barnes. “Once the thought of spring gets to New England, it’s a really nice opportunity to bring people to the town, bring families outside. I think everyone is excited to participate.”

Barnes, the interim Director of Parks and Recreation, hopes that the return of the parade and its celebration of Essex will further boost the image of the town, which has been acclaimed as one of the best small towns in the state of Connecticut and all of the United States.

“It’s an opportunity to showcase our villages,” she said.

Organizers are still seeking marchers for the parade. For more information, email recreation@essexct.gov or visit facebook.com/essexctgobragh.

The name of the parade, which has taken place in the town near St. Patrick’s Day since 2010, evokes a sense of pride for Essex and its citizens. The name borrows from the Anglicization of the Irish phrase “Erin go bragh,” which literally translated means “Ireland forever.”

With the case of Essex, that is the hope for Bob Russo, who, after the two previous cancellations, is excited to finally be the parade’s grand marshal.

“I hope we’re past the worst of [COVID-19],” he said. “The parade will be a nice return to normalcy.”

Russo, who previously served on Essex’s Parks & Recreation Commission, was chosen by the department to be the grand marshal for the past two years. However, he was selected again by the commission, mainly due to his contributions to the town and the department. He has remained active since his retirement, providing more than a hundred kids and families with lessons in archery.

With the distinction of being named grand marshal for a third year in a row, Russo is elated to hold the position.

“I’m really excited to be the grand marshal for the parade,” he said. “It’s an event that I always enjoyed a lot when I was on the [Parks and Recreation] Commission.”

This year’s parade will be held in memory of Virginia “Ginny” Willetts, a former Parks & Recreation commissioner and former physical education teacher with the Oxford school system. Willets, whose family will be taking part in the parade, is best remembered for her resourcefulness and ability to connect with kids. Following her retirement from education, she wanted to give back to her home community of Essex, being active in many of its recreational events and its young participants.

“Being a teacher was crucial to her, she got kids,” said Russo. “Ginny was always there at Parks and Rec events. She got to know all the different kids she worked with and made a point of it.”

Barnes concurred, saying, “She was the epitome of what a commissioner can be.”

With an expected turn-out of more than a hundred people, the parade will feature several new participants, including musical appearances from the Middletown Pipe Band and the Ivoryton Drum and Fife, three Irish dance units, various businesses, and nonprofits.

While the COVID-19 pandemic is still present and affecting many across the country, the commission felt confident resuming the parade. The commission still considered the health and safety of the community in making the final decision, making mask-wearing an option for marchers and onlookers, and consulting with Health Director Lisa Fasulo, who spelled out guidelines based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the State of Connecticut.

Barnes anticipates a triumphant return for the parade.

“We feel that if the weather cooperates, we’re going to have a really good turn-out,” she said.