History indicates that the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade first started in Brisbane in the 1890’s and was a Brisbane annual event up until WWII.  Parade organisers of the 1890’s met to organise the Parade at what was then, the Valley Hotel.

In 1989 Jan Dooley, founder of Brisbane’s first Irish pub and an Irish descendant decided to re-establish the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade much to the delight of the Queensland Irish community and the thousands of people who turn up each year to cheer it on.  Today the Parade is administered by the The Irish Club (Queensland Irish Association), Queensland’s longest running national association.  The Club has been in existence for over 100 years and is the hub of Irish culture and activity in Brisbane, ensuring the relevance and cultural integrity of the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.

A large percentage of Queenslanders have some Irish heritage thanks to our convict beginnings and our immigrant policy of last century.  Even if you’re not Irish or have no Irish roots it seems throughout Queensland there has always been a strong cross cultural affiliation with the Irish. Maybe it’s because Queensland has always been a place in which you may have been taught by an Irish brother or nun, your local policeman or publican was an Irishman or the local shopkeeper was Irish.  You may have cut cane or knew a farmer who was Irish or you may have worked the railroad, had a drink with or heard a great story from someone Irish.

Regardless of race or religion Saint Patrick’s Day has always been a popular day for celebration in Queensland.  The Parade’s main vision is to celebrate and honour the feast day of Saint Patrick. In doing so the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade also works to educate, promote and celebrate the contribution of Irish immigrants and their descendants to Queensland.  It is about fun, music and the craic and welcoming anyone and everyone to celebrate and enjoy a day of celebration.  It’s a way of sharing with the wider community a culture that has been a major influence in the development of our Queensland and Australian way of life.