Our 2025 Remembered series is brought to you in association with Bloom HQ, Mountrath
What an honour this was for this proud Laois man in San Francisco.
When Mark Gorman left Mountrath for San Francisco in the summer of 1990, as a young man in his early 20s, little did he think that one day he’d be the Grand Marshal in the city’s St Patrick’s Day parade.
But that’s exactly what he’ll be doing later this month, a prestigious honour for a man that is hugely respected in the Irish community of the iconic US city.
As well as leading out the parade – which will be attended by upwards of 100,000 people on Saturday, March 15 – he was also a special guest a celebratory dinner on Friday evening last in the United Irish Cultural Centre.
In addition, he’ll raise the Irish flag at a ceremony in city hall, which be flown throughout the month of March.
His volunteer work – in community groups and in the GAA – as well as his decency and generosity are no doubt factors in this honour being bestowed on him.
When he picks up the phone on a midweek afternoon in San Francisco (10pm in Ireland), you’d think you were talking to him in his native Mountrath.
Despite now living for nearly 40 years in the USA, there isn’t a hint of an American accent. He’s sitting in his van, on a brief break from the hugely successful pipeline business that he runs.
The chat is about the GAA, his life and times in San Francisco and his family back home, many of whom are travelling over for St Patrick’s weekend for the celebrations.
“I came out for one summer and I overstayed my welcome,” he laughs as he reflects on his time over there.
“San Francisco is a very easy place to live. The weather is so good and in the winter you can ski – Tahoe is less than a four-hour drive.
“There are great opportunities here if you want to work hard. The Americans love the Irish.
“But everything I do is Irish. Everything I’m involved in is around the Irish community. The first thing I look at every morning is the RTE app. I know as much about what is going on in Ireland as if were still living at home.
“I do hear people giving out about GAA Go but for the likes of me living over here, it’s the best deal in town.”
A talented sports man he played minor hurling and football for Laois and when he went to San Francisco, he linked up straight away with the Na Fianna club that had been set up by a group of Laois men a number of years earlier.
Chief among them were Mike Darcy, a fellow Mountrath man who gave work to all and sundry in his pipeline business.
Though Mark was over and back to Ireland a couple of times in those early years, he was lucky enough to get one of the Morrison Visas in the early 90s, making him legal to live and work long-term in the USA.
Over the years there were regular Laois men to keep him company – the likes of the late Ray Sheeran, Pat Critchley, Johnny Ramsbottom, Kevin Fennelly, Paddy Dollard, Niall Rigney and Cyril Duggan. Some were there for the summer, some stayed for longer.
In time he married his childhood sweetheart from Mountrath, Edel O’Rourke. They came home to get married but their life is in America, where they have two children. Molly is now 23, Evan is 20. All of them are immersed in the Irish community.
Mark himself played a key figure in establishing a GAA Youth League in San Francisco. That was where the volunteer work started.
Under his guidance, he regularly had 250 kids from 8 to 18 being coached in hurling and football. Most were second or third generation Irish. Sometimes they’d have friends with them with no Irish background.
They’d play leagues among themselves and every year they’d travel to the Continental Youth Championships. Over the years they’ve been in New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia. He also brought a camogie team back to Ireland in 2015 to play in the Feile.
His own children have played all the way up along. “I’d be going down to the field, I’d always have brought them with me,” he says, again as if it was a case of tipping down the road rather than making his way around a major US city.
During the summer, many young inter-county players flock to San Fran on J1s, and play with the clubs in the city.
But a rule brought in means that there must be at least two ‘home-grown’ players on the field at any one time.
“It’s brilliant. It exposes our kids to playing with county players.”
Unlike many GAA units based abroad, San Francisco have their own permanent home with a long-term lease on a piece of land in the exotically named Treasure Island, located in the shadow of the famed Golden Gate Bridge.
“It’s absolutely a great honour,” he acknowledges of his new-found status as this year’s Grand Marshal.
“It’s a bit above my station,” he adds modestly but it is due recognition for his contribution to his well-established home away from home.
“We get home once or twice a year and it’s getting easier now that the kids are in college.
“You might be 6,000 miles away from home, but you’re never really gone. You do miss home, you miss family and you miss big moments.
“Over here your friends become like family.”
“This year’s parade celebrates “The Immigrant’s Story”,” says the promo material for the parade, “honouring the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of immigrants of all backgrounds to both the city and the nation.
“The parade will feature a colourful array of floats, marching bands, traditional Irish dancers, and community groups, all highlighting the rich tapestry of immigrant experiences.
“From Irish roots to the many global cultures that have shaped San Francisco, the event will showcase the city’s legacy as a melting pot, with participants representing cultures from across the world.
“Special attention will be given to the unique role that Irish immigrants played in shaping the city’s early history, while also reflecting on the broader immigrant journey.
“Local organizations, cultural groups, and artists will come together to share their stories through music, dance, and visual art.
“With marching groups, community leaders, and activists spotlighting the immigrant experience, the parade will remind attendees of the enduring spirit of inclusion and the ongoing story of people finding new homes, new opportunities, and new beginnings in San Francisco.”
As Mark Gorman leads them out, it’d be understandable to acknowledge the distance he’s travelled – in every way – since he got off that plane as a young lad in 1990.
More power to him.
