Paula Fitzpatrick PIAC 2025 Grand Marshal

 Paula was born in Curragh Camp, an army camp in County Kildare, Ireland. Her Dad was a medic in the Irish Army and traveled the world to help people in foreign lands. Her family settled in Monasterevin, County Kildare. Paula had a quiet childhood growing up and attended school, but her real passion was Gymnastics where she excelled. As a Gymnist she travelled with the Irish Army Display Team and went on to win the All-Ireland Championship in floor work and the vault. She was also member of the Order of Malta and served as a medic. The group would support people and areas in need following disasters.

At the age of 19, in 1986, she moved to the United States originally sponsored by a NJ family as an au pair. She continued working as an au pair and later started working as a waitress and bartender. In 1990 she was out with a few of her girlfriends at a pub in Woodside Queens and met Alan. In 1994 Paula and Alan were married.

While they were dating, they would come to the Poconos often for weekends and getaways. They eventually purchased a vacation home or “holiday house” in the Poconos. They continued to live in NY where all three daughters were born. Then, in 2002, they decided to leave NYC while the girls were young and they built their home in the Poconos in Marshalls Creek where they still reside today. 2003 was a busy time for Paula. Finishing the home, moving from NY to the Poconos with three small girls and trying to opening her shop, Fitzpatrick Irish Gifts on Main Street in Stroudsburg. Alan had a few years left to retire so he was commuting back to NY every day. As Paula later stated, “I was too busy to have a nervous breakdown”.

Once the shop was open, many of the then members of the Pocono Irish American Club would come in the shop and Paula struck up a friendship with many of them. Alan and Paula became friendly with the Club. Although both were too busy at the time to be active members, they did attend all of the picnics and dinner dances and supported all the events. The Club was down to a handful of members in 2014. Then the fate full day happened when the

Murrays, (at this point were single-handedly running the PIAC and the Parade) came into Paula’s store and put a box on her counter top. The Murrays couldn’t physically run the club and the Parade anymore and said to Paula “here is the club and Parade records. Either you are going to take it over or it is going to cease to exist.”

Paula assessed the situation and put together her group that would re-start the Club. The group consisted of Finola Conboy, Rossie Gralinski and Ian Cunningham and Tim Howard. They met and elected Paula president and the tide had turned. She served as Club President during 2015 and 2016. Since the low point of the Club in 2014 under her leadership, the rebirth of the Club has occurred. The Club has grown to over 200 members and the Parades have gone from having 3 bands to now having 12 to 15 bands. Paula’s love for the Irish and her compassion for our community has led to quite possibly the most giving club in the Poconos. Not only did she want the Club and Parade to survive and grow, but she also wanted the Club to give back to the Community. Today the PIAC gives out about $35,000 per year to deserving charities and awards scholarships to local students.

She is a very humble person and will simply say I had a lot of help from a lot of people. But the vision and the turning of the tide was all her determination and hard work with some dear friends. She remains active today and is always involved with the Clubs Dinner Dance this year on December 6th. Ironically, this year the event will be in her honor where she will be sworn in as this year’s Grand Marshal of the 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Parade which will be held on March 23.

Paula and Alan continue to live in Marshalls Creek with their three daughters, Emma, Alana and Reilly. She continues to run her shop on Main Street and is an active member of the Club. She has recently discovered golf and plays in the ladies’ league at Glenbrook every Tuesday night. Alan describes her as a beautiful soul that is calm, caring and a great Mom. Her friends describe her as kind and caring, as never having a bad word about anyone and the best friend that a person could have.

The Pocono Irish American Club is very proud and honored to select and Paula Fitzpatrick as this year’s Grand Marshal of the 2025 St. Patrick’s Parade.