In addition to St. Patrick’s Day, it was the 250th Anniversary of the day that the British left Boston in 1776, the first year of our Independence. It was sunny but cold and windy.
The day’s festivities started with Mass said by Fr. Joe White in the St. Augustine Chapel, followed by a rededication of the surrounding cemetery, especially for Barney McGinniskin, a heroic Boston Police officer buried there. A contingent of colonial soldiers had gathered, along with their teams of oxen, to fire musket salutes before their procession to the Monument on Dorchester Heights.
The procession to the Heights began the celebration in remembrance of the colonial victory over the British military forces who fled from Boston –250 years ago in 1776, which was
George Washington’s first victory in our War of Independence.
South Boston celebrates it as “Evacuation Day”. The South Boston Citizens’ Association (the SBCA) arranged and hosted the observances on Tuesday.
The 250th celebration on the Heights was held in tents pitched for the affair. Cannon rounds, rifle salutes, fifes and drums, and many memorial contingents from all around Boston took part. A number of inspirational speakers delivered their own Evacuation Day thoughts – elected officials, the Park officials, and SBCA members. SBCA President Tom McGrath received an award presented by Sen. Nick Collins. Winning students in the SBCA’s 2026 poster and essay contests also got their awards.
From emplacing the nation’s colors, to the cannon salutes, to the praiseworthy remarks made by the speakers, it was a truly memorable ceremony. At the end, SBCA President Tom McGrath
Heights memorial stone. The cannons fired again; Master Sergeant Robert Bean
set a celebratory wreath at the Dorchester
rendered a stirring version of “Taps” And then the gates to the newly renovated Evacuation Monument on Dorchester Heights swung wide open.
Evacuation Day Parade & Procession
The Evacuation Day Parade & Procession Tuesday brought the community together as it marched proudly to Dorchester Heights, honoring 250 years of history. The streets were filled with energy — neighbors lining the route, flags waving, and a shared sense of pride in the moment that helped shape Boston’s history. The march to Dorchester Heights was a powerful tribute to the past and a reminder of the strength of this community today.
By: Ginger DeShaney
Yes, it’s no exaggeration.
South Boston, its loyal organizations, and most all, those who volunteer here, gave us all a celebration that will live in our memories for years to come. Their immense efforts joyfully added a sense of wonder to Southie, creating an atmosphere of true rejoicing –physical, mental, and spiritual.
We hope and suggest that everyone in South Boston who enjoyed our recent events is grateful – really grateful – to the many, many people who put in the time and energy that resulted in our “Glorious Season”.
The 2026 “Glorious Season stretched from February 28 to March 17, and it climaxed this last Tuesday afternoon, March 17, after 18 days. Our Unsung Heroes were recognized on the very same day that Sully’s opened on February 28 – two marvelous ways to begin any season, especially in South Boston. All we can do is remind you that these traditional “happenings” took place because of dedicated local people, who put in significant time and effort.
And that was just the beginning.
As March began in South Boston, programs were well underway for two solid weeks of activities for young and old alike and organized by the South
A Glorious Season Has Closed
Boston Citizens Association. The 2026 “Glorious Season” ended on Tuesday, after an awards banquet, a gala parade, and the 250th Anniversary of the City of Boston’s Evacuation Day that took place on March 17, 1776. The British left Boston that day back then – the first step America took to gain its freedom in the Revolutionary War
A week before the Parade, a meeting was held to go over safety factors during the Parade. Many city and state public organizations, including Park officials, took part. This time and effort resulted in better control over the Parade crowd’s behavior. There
were a few transgressions, of course, but Parade behavior was good this year, even though close to a million (1,000,000!) spectators showed up.
Also, the advance planning that went into the 250th Anniversary observances? It began months ago; its inspiring effects were obvious. On Tuesday, the 17th, colonial units came from all around Boston. Hundreds of South Boston residents attended. Speakers described the role the land that would eventually become South Boston played back in 1776 and young students received awards for their essays and posters this year.
And there was a real 2026 bonus to all the great things that took place over the last few weeks. The multiyear renovation of the Dorchester Heights Monument has now officially been completed, after five years. A ribbon was cut and the Monument gates swung open for guided tours on Tuesday afternoon, right after the 250th ceremonies and observances were over.
South Boston Online will repeat itself by praising all of those who planned, volunteered and then performed huge amounts of plain hard work to make the 2026 “Glorious Season” happen. And it certainly did.
Photos by: Moss Lynch
by Rick Winterson
SBCA 2026 Banquet a Sold-Out Success
The South Boston Citizens’ Association (the SBCA) held its 146th Annual Evacuation Day Banquet – a revered South Boston custom that stretches back to 1880. And that date signifies that the SBCA is our Nation’s oldest (!) neighborhood civic organization.
The event was active. A cocktail party at the Convention Center was held at 5:30 p.m. The dinner program began at 7 with music by Curragh’s Fancy. This year’s Banquet drew a record 600 participants grouped around 60 tables; 25 honored guests paraded to their seats at the SBCA’s usual “Head Table to Infinity”. Fr. Joe White opened the event with a brief prayer.
SBCA President Tom McGrath and General Chairman Sen. Nick Collins emceed the program Lt. Gov Kim Driscoll delivered a well-spoken keynote address. An Irish dinner of deliciously crafted shepherd’s pie was then served.
The dinner program included seven Awards. Among the awardees were John Mitchell, who is leading the preparations for tomorrow’s 250th
Anniversary observances on Dorchester Heights (begins 10:30 a.m.). Sunday’s Parade organizers were also honored. And we will mention Bob Ferrara in particular, since he received two (yes, 2) Awards for his many community services. One of Bob’s projects led to the American flags that now adorn many of South Boston’s main roads.
Senator Collins Supports Bill to Strengthen Protections for Pets
Bill strengthens protections for pets and promotes responsible pet ownership statewide
State Senator Nick Collins voted in favor of S.3014, An Act promoting pet equity, treatment, and safety, while serving as a member of the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Ways and Means. Too often, pet shops obtain animals from substandard
breeding facilities commonly known as puppy mills. These large-scale breeding operations frequently rely on retail pet shops to obscure the conditions in which animals are bred and raised. This legislation would not prevent consumers from obtaining pets from responsible breeders, shelters, or rescue organizations, and would still allow pet shops to partner with shelters to facilitate pet adoptions.
The legislation combines a ban on the retail sale of dogs and cats in pet shops with broader reforms to strengthen animal welfare protections, support pet owners, and improve consumer protections across the Commonwealth.
Key provisions of the bill include:
• Bans the retail sale of dogs and cats in pet shops, establishes
civil penalties for violations, and strengthens protections against keeping household pets in cruel conditions.
• Expands housing protections for pet owners, directing the state to create a program allowing elderly residents and tenants in stateaided public housing to keep pets, preventing housing facilities from banning pets outright or discriminating based on breed or size, and requiring a study on pet-related rental fees.
• Supports animal shelters and animal welfare programs by allowing certain fines collected by the state to be deposited into the Homeless Animal Prevention and Care Fund.
• Prevents breed-based discrimination in homeowners insurance, while allowing insurers to consider a dog’s documented history of dangerous behavior when making underwriting decisions.
“For a large majority of families across Massachusetts, pets are an extension of the family itself,” said Senator Collins. “This legislation helps ensure that from the very beginning of a pet’s life in the Commonwealth, they are treated with the same dignity and respect we would extend to any other member of our family.”
The legislation was reported favorably out of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means this week. It will next be considered by the Massachusetts Senate for debate and a vote on the Senate floor.
• Restricts animal testing for consumer products, prohibiting traditional animal testing methods for cosmetics and household products in Massachusetts while maintaining exemptions for medical research.
Councilor Flynn Files Resolution Against Construction of Additional Roof Decks in Residential South Boston
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn filed a resolution against the approval and construction of additional roof decks in residential areas of South Boston. At the City Council this week, a vote on this non-binding resolution against the construction of additional roof decks in residential areas of South Boston was subsequently blocked by a City Council colleague and sent to Committee for a hearing.
In the last couple of decades, with a changing town and South Boston having become a destination for young people to visit each weekend, the proliferation of roof decks in residential areas of South Boston has raised significant concerns among residents - including our seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities, young families with childrenrelated to noise at all hours of the night, public safety, smoking, privacy, trash removal impacting our existing pest control crisis, and other quality of life issues.
Residents continue to express concerns that additional roof decks in residential areas of South Boston do not in any way help to address our housing and affordable housing crisis, their opinion that there is no hardship that should be granted zoning relief, and that individual property
owners should not continue to benefit over the objections of many concerns abutters, neighbors and civic organizations.
For years during the pandemic, dozens of proposals for new roof decks were opposed by Councilor Flynn, local civic groups and neighbors, and dozens of those proposals were subsequently denied at the Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA). However,in recent years, despite having no impact on the housing crisis, nearly every case is approved regardless of opposition testimony from local elected officials, civic groups and neighbors.
Moreover, there have also been cases in recent years where neighbors and civic organizations have supported new developments specifically due to good-faith compromises with owners on removal of roof decks during the community process. However, years
later, these same roof decks were proposed again and approved by the ZBA, despite this history with the community, and leaving residents feeling their objections have gone unheard or disregarded altogether.
“The construction of additional roof decks has no bearing on the housing and affordable housing crisis. Residents of the neighborhood - including our seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities, and young families -should not have to deal with parties at all hours and trash removal issues coming from additional roof decks. The quality of life for neighbors must be respected, and residents of a neighborhood deserve a say in what takes place and gets built in their community,” said Councilor Flynn.
For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 or Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov.
Obituary published on Legacy.com by Casper Funeral & Cremation Services on Mar. 16, 2026.
Dan McCole, a beloved South Boston artist, newspaperman, and larger-than-life personality widely known as “Southie’s oldest teenager,” passed away peacefully on March 12, 2026, at the age of 96. Over the course of a long and colorful life, he was many things: a newspaperman, painter, writer, singer, teacher, mentor, uncle, friend, grandfather, great-grandfather, and father; but above all he was a man who embraced life with creativity, humor, and an open heart.
Born in 1929 in South Boston to Philip and Margaret (McGonagle) McCole, who had immigrated from County Donegal, Ireland, a few years earlier with three of his older siblings, Dan grew up deeply proud of his Irish heritage and his South Boston roots.
At just sixteen years old, shortly after the end of World War II, he enlisted in the United States Army and spent much of his service stationed in Panama. After returning home, he attended the Vesper George School of Art, where he first learned to channel his creative instincts into painting. Though a newspaper career and raising a family would put his artistic ambitions on hold for several decades, the
Dan McCole Obituary
seeds of the artist he would later become were planted there.
Dan joined the Boston Herald Traveler as a part-time editorial artist and gradually built a full career in the newspaper business. His entrepreneurial spirit soon led him to found the Weymouth News, a weekly newspaper, where he filled nearly every role imaginable: publisher, editor, reporter, photographer, ad salesman, circulation manager, and bookkeeper.
After ten years, he sold the Weymouth News but remained involved with several local publications before returning to the Boston Herald, where he served as production news editor, late news deskman, and occasional feature writer. During his newspaper career, he received a first-place award for Best Column from the New England Press Association.
In November of 2000, he experienced a moment every newspaperman dreams about. The Boston Herald had just finalized its front page declaring Al Gore the winner of the presidential election when events suddenly became uncertain. Dan was the one who got to run into the pressroom and shout the legendary words: “Stop the presses!”
In the early 1990s, as family responsibilities eased, Dan returned to the artistic passion he had set aside decades earlier. He enrolled in a watercolor refresher course as a way of forcing himself back into painting and soon began entering his work in local art shows. When one of his paintings won a ribbon at the South Shore Art Show, the encouragement convinced him to devote more time to painting.
His art quickly gained a devoted following. A media story once noted that nearly every home in South Boston seemed to have a Dan McCole painting on its wall. His work appeared on a book cover, in movie sets, and even on an ornament for the White House
Christmas tree. His painting of Ted Williams once became part of a friendly baseball wager between the mayors of Boston and another city whose team Red Sox fans prefer not to mention; the painting ended up hanging in New York’s City Hall for a year.
His artistic contributions were widely recognized in exhibitions and by civic leaders. The City of Boston proclaimed May 11, 2011, as Dan McCole Day in recognition of his impact on the community and the arts. A South Boston restaurant even created a signature drink in his honor (a wee bit stronger than a Shirley Temple/Bobby Orr).
He was also particularly proud to be included in a coffee-table book celebrating Boston’s Irish Americans, and was delighted to see his page appear ahead of Conan O’Brien, the Dropkick Murphys, Tom Brady, and several members of the Kennedy family.
Beyond his accomplishments as a newspaperman and artist, what people remember most about Dan McCole was the genuine way he lived. He had a magnetic personality: engaging, charismatic, and full of laughter. Music, conversation, and storytelling seemed to follow him wherever he went. A proud son of South Boston with a deep Irish spirit, he had an enormous circle of friends and acquaintances who were drawn to his warmth and authenticity.
Even at 95, as a huge crowd gathered in South Boston to celebrate his birthday, he happily took the microphone and entertained the gathering by singing Irish favorites and standards from the American Songbook, an image that perfectly captured the joyful, larger-than-life presence that so many people knew and loved.
Family was always at the center of his world. Though he maintained a long career, his children remember that he somehow managed to be present in their lives. As his family grew,
he became a beloved patriarch who delighted in bringing generations of friends and family together. To his grandchildren, he was affectionately known as “Cousin Papa,” a nickname earned one summer day when he spent hours jumping off a pool diving board and splashing around with the kids until they decided he behaved more like one of the cousins than a grandfather. Whether cracking jokes, setting up elaborate pranks, or filling a room with song and laughter, he never lost his playful spirit.
Behind the joy and humor was also a generous mentor who believed deeply in the power of creativity. Dan encouraged everyone around him to find and express their artistic voice. He mentored young artists, supported teens through art and service projects, and reminded us all that life itself becomes the raw material for art. His own life reflected that philosophy: fearless, curious, and open to the world. To many he was an artist, to others a teacher or mentor, but to all who knew him, he was a kind and genuine man whose warmth, creativity, and boundless charisma made him unforgettable.
Dan is survived by his four children: Carole Ann Wool (Jon) of Western Springs, IL; Christina Johnson (Rick) of Hollis, ME; Catherine McMahon (the late Dan) of Weymouth, MA; and Dan McCole (Jill) of Okemos, MI. He is also survived by longtime friend Nancy Powderly, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. In addition to his wife, Carole, Dan was predeceased by his brothers John J., Thomas P., Philip J., Michael Leo, and Robert C., McCole, and by his sisters Mary Ann Bergin and Margaret “Peg” Reardon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Brigid’s Parish. To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Dan McCole
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day
The students at South Boston Catholic Academy celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. It is a fun holiday where we celebrate the legacy of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and Irish culture, often with green attire, shamrocks, dancing and parades. The younger students built leprechaun traps in their classrooms to try to catch a leprechaun. In Irish folklore, a leprechaun is a solitary, mischievous fairy, often depicted as a small, bearded man with a hidden pot
of gold, who is a cobbler by trade and known for his cunning and trickery. In Mrs. Valerie Hasko’s Art Class, students had a chance to draw unique and colorful shamrocks and four leaf clovers. Students in other classrooms did a Family Project to “Disguise a Leprechaun.” Students worked with their families to help protect a sneaky leprechaun by creating a clever disguise. This fun family drawing project encouraged creativity, teamwork and storytelling. Students also had a chance to say...”Why I’m so lucky to be
me”. Some students said because...”I am happy”, “I am loved”, and “I am grateful.” Other students did a writing project in class about... “I am lucky because”...”I have an awesome family, amazing dog and the best teacher ever!”
Other students did a writing project based on the “Facts About Ireland.”
Many of our SBCA students actually participated in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. They marched with their sports teams. At school we were all treated to a very special performance
by some of our students who are also amazing Irish Step dancers with the Peggy Woods School of Dance, who also marched in the parade. Thank you to Ms. Taylor Thomas, our K0C teacher and an Irish Step Teacher with Peggy Woods, for organizing this special event. The students did a fantastic job and we are so proud of them all! Also on March 17, our Evacuation Day Essay and Poster winners along with the 5th graders had a chance to view the historical Evacuation Day events at Dorchester Heights.
ABUTTER’S MEETINGS
Please note that abutter’s meeting information can also be found at https://www.boston.gov/events.
28 W Broadway / Fox & Knife (NEW)
Proposal: Change classification of existing license to all alcohol. No changes to operations.
To participate in ZBA hearings, below are instructions on joining a public meeting. Please note that the ZBA board will call on members of the public to testify for each proposal; you can share your thoughts in that forum
81
to 85A L ST South Boston 02127
Appeal Type Zoning
Hearing Date 3/24/26
Project Description: Change occupancy from restaurant, retail fish store, dry cleaners, to restaurant with takeout and professional office. Existing restaurant will be expanded and capacity will be slightly increased. Note: Professional office fitout to be performed by others and purposes of this filing is for Zoning Use approval only (Core and shell) 10.15.25FD
142 P ST South Boston 02127
Appeal Type Zoning
Hearing Date 4/7/26
Project Description: Build 5 roof decks on top of the building. Each unit will have it’s own deck
78 H ST South Boston 02127
Appeal Type Zoning
Hearing Date 4/7/26
Project Description: Confirm single-family occupancy, change occupancy from single- to two-family; extend living space into basement; add 1st-floor bath and 2nd-floor kitchen; add rear deck and 2nd-floor egress stairs; remodel existing baths; separate electrical/ mechanical for new unit.
5 Colebrook ST South Boston 02127
Appeal Type Zoning
Hearing Date 4/16/26
Project Description: Back deck replacement. Includes demo of existing (7ft x 14ft), install new footings, framing decks back on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & roof deck (New Deck: 9ft x 14ft)
30 to 32 H ST South Boston 02127
Appeal Type Zoning
Hearing Date 4/28/26
Project Description: Construction of a new 3-story, 6-unit multifamily residential building with 6 garage parking spaces w/ elevator access on 4,271 sf parcel known as Lot 1 per stamped land survey
62 L ST South Boston 02127
Appeal Type Zoning
Hearing Date 4/28/26
Project Description: Replace existing exterior stairs and construct a new roof deck.
Age Strong’s 2026 Cost-Savings Clinics
To help, Boston’s Age Strong Commission will host free in-person cost-savings clinics to assist Boston’s older residents (age 55+) to help lower everyday expenses like fuel assistance, home repair, water/sewer discounts, property tax relief, SNAP, Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit, Medicare Savings Program and more. To set up your in-person clinic appointment, call Age Strong at 617-635-4366.
