Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - "Top of the morning to you," exclaimed Fr. Dave Richards with WBEN on Friday morning.
Richards has the once in a lifetime honor of serving as Grand Marshal of
Buffalo's St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday downtown.
"I'm pumped up," he said. "But could use a little help with the weather forecast. Hopefully God can blow the rain South or something. Either way, it's going to be great."
Richards has served as Chaplain for the United Irish American Association since 2009.
As Grand Marshal, Fr. Dave has selected his mother Margaret Mary Richards, his sisters Elizabeth Sheehan and Molly Kooshoian and his brother John Richards as Deputy Marshals.
Richards said the beauty of the parade is that everyone's Irish for the day.
"Everyone hibernates for about five months in Buffalo and then this week has been beautiful for getting out and enjoying fresh air."
Fr. Dave graduated from Nardin Elementary, Canisius High School, Canisius College and Christ the King Seminary. He is now the parochial vicar of the Catholic Community of Buffalo, North. Ordained since 2010, Fr. Dave was first assigned to St. Gregory the Great parish in Williamsville, then Queen of Heaven in West Seneca, and most recently at Our Lady of Pompeii in Lancaster.
The parade starts Sunday at 2 p.m. at Niagara Square in front of Buffalo City Hall and proceeds to North Street. It's 1.3 miles in length.
"I'll be wearing my clerics, and my Grand Marshal sash. I have a shillelagh, but I don't have a top hat yet. I don't know if I need it, if I have an umbrella over my head," he added.
Sunday's forecast calls for scattered showers and wind with a high in the mid-60s.