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2008 PARADE GRAND MARSHAL

James F. Mahoney

James F. Mahoney was born in Franklin Square, NY but was raised and spent most of his life in Newport.  He is the 8th child of the late Thomas Leo Mahoney and Rose Olah Mahoney and was one of eleven; six brothers and four sisters.  Jim is a 1956 graduate of Rogers High School and graduated from Roger Williams College in 1971. From 1956 to 1960, Jim served in the United States Air Force where he was an electronics technician and instructor for foreign military officers studying airborne radar systems .  After discharge from military service, he worked as a contract administrator with Raytheon for eighteen years.  In 1973 Jim was elected to, and served in, the Rhode Island House of Representatives, representing Newport residents in the old District 100, which included the Fifth Ward.  In 1981 he took a job as the Rhode Island House Fiscal Adviser, a position from which he retired in 1998.  While working as the House Fiscal Adviser, he was awarded the Robert M. Goodrich Award in 1991 as the State employee of the year.  Jim is married to Elizabeth White Mahoney (Tucky) and has one daughter, Meaghan Mahoney Corr, who is a 7th-grade English teacher at the J.H. Gaudet Middle School.

Jim is active in a number of Irish Organizations.  He is a past President of both the Dennis E. Collins Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (1974-1975) and also the Newport Irish Heritage Association (1988 -1990).  He is a forty year member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and a life member of the Newport Irish History Museum.  Currently he is the Treasurer for the Newport Irish Heritage Association and works as a guest host on Rick Kelly’s Irish Hour radio show, heard on WADK, when Rick is unavailable.  He has helped out the Newport Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee as a Division Parade Marshal for the past ten years.  In this capacity he assists in lining up the participants, keeps order on the parade route, and ensures that the finish of the parade runs smoothly.

He is also very active in Saint Augustin’s Church where he is a Eucharistic Minister and has served as a Trustee since 1982 and as a member of their Finance Committee since 1981.  His activities also include serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the People’s Credit Union.

In his spare time Jim enjoys gardening, for which he has won awards, and spending time with his wife Tucky, his daughter Meaghan and her husband Peter Corr.  He is also fond of vacations to Ireland, having visited the Emerald Isles nine times.

The Newport Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee is proud to name James F. Mahoney as our 2008 Grand Marshal and pleased to give him the honor of leading the 52nd Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.  He is an unassuming and modest individual who is always very generous and giving of his time to assist with the parade. His hard works make him deserving of this distinct honor.

About This Year’s Button:

Our button designs try to incorporate the vocation or interests of our Grand Marshal for that year.  For the 2008 Saint Patrick’s Day Parade our Grand Marshal is James F. Mahoney, who had a career in Rhode Island State government, first as a member of the House of Representatives, and then as the House Fiscal Advisor until his retirement.

The design is based on both the National Flag of Ireland and the State Flag of Rhode Island.  It has the emblems of the State Flag of Rhode Island superimposed on the tricolor National Flag of Ireland, with the 13 stars of the Rhode Island flag represented by 13 shamrocks and the Rhode Island Motto “Hope” replaced with the Irish “Dòchas”.

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