Ireland Native Named Grand Marshal of Downtown Tinley Irish Parade

It doesn't get much more authentic than this. 

The Village of Tinley Park have chosen Aidan Cronin, the Consul General in Chicago from the Republic of Ireland, as the grand marshal for the 15th annual Downtown Tinley Irish Parade.

The parade will step off at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 9 from Central Middle School and travel north along Oak Park Avenue to 171st Street. Many floats, community groups, local schools and businesses will be featured. 

Cronin took up duty as the Consul General of Ireland in Chicago on Aug. 22, 2011. He worked as Private Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and as head of the Minister’s Private Office from May 2009 to April 2011.

Cronin subsequently was a member of the team that organized the visit of President Barack Obama to Ireland in May 2011, with lead responsibility for the President’s visit to his ancestral home in Moneygall, County Offaly.

From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Cronin served as Deputy Head of Mission in the Irish Embassy in Canberra, and from 2003 to 2005 as Deputy Head of Mission in the Irish Embassy in Tehran. He also worked in the Irish Embassy in Beijing from 1998 to 2001 and, in the course of his career at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin, has worked on European Union, United Nations and Irish Abroad issues.

Before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Cronin qualified and worked as a lawyer, having graduated from University College Cork with a bachelor of civil laws degree. 

Cronin is a native of Cork and is married to Maedhbh, who also is a public servant and native of Dublin. They have a daughter, Caoimhe, 8, who was born in Iran; and a son, Cadhla, 6, who was born in Australia. 

Entries are still being taken for the parade. To participate, fill out the application online and mail it by March 3 to Village of Tinley Park, 16250 S. Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park, IL 60477.

For more information, visit www.downtowntinley.com or contact Special Events Coordinator Vicki Sanchez at (708) 444-5044 or vsanchez@tinleypark.org.