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BILL O'BRIEN GRAND MARSHALL
Sean L. McCarthy, The Arizona Republic 3-14-2005 Wm. "Bill" Howard O'Brien is an old-fashioned cowboy. CAPTION: Wm. "Bill" Howard O'Brien, an old-fashioned
Irish cowboy, is the grand marshal of Saturday's 20th annual St. Patrick's
Day Parade and Faire in Phoenix. O'Brien, 80, of Paradise Valley, starts a conversation with "Howdy," ends it with "Adios," and in between, might manage to find an excuse to enjoy a pint (or two) of Harp lager. During his first eight decades, "wild" Bill O'Brien has traveled the world as a wool trader and assembled an eclectic set of properties. His ownership interests include a stake in Tempe Irish pub Rula Bula, the Charles River Broadcasting radio network in Boston and the Eagletail Ranch near Tonopah. He used to own the top of Camelback Mountain, too, long ago donating the summit area for preservation and selling the rest for John Gardiner's Tennis Ranch (it's now the ultra chic Sanctuary resort and spa). O'Brien founded the Wendy Paine O'Brien Foundation (it helps troubled teens, and is named after his late daughter), Los San Patricios de Arizona (to honor Irish cowboys) and was among the founders of the Goldwater Institute. But it's his love of Irish culture -- he helped lead the effort to build an Irish Cultural and Learning Center at 1106 N. Central Ave., in Phoenix -- that will have him sitting pretty Saturday as grand marshal of the city's 20th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and Faire. Wm. Howard O'Brien was born in Los Angeles in 1923, when the "boondocks (was) a place called Brentwood." Question: Why did you move to Arizona? Answer: "I think I was hard to handle. Too much energy," he said. "I quit high school and wanted to be a cowboy, so I hitchhiked to Arizona. The only reason I went to Arizona was the guy who picked me up, that's where he was going. I didn't care." O'Brien worked as a ranch hand in Cottonwood and Rimrock until his mother hunted him down and brought him back to California to finish high school. Upon graduation, he returned to ranching and decided to enroll in agricultural school at the University of Arizona. Then came World War II. O'Brien joined ROTC to be part of the cavalry, but horses were no match for Nazi tanks, so he enlisted in the Navy and fought in the Pacific. After the war, the Navy assigned him to command a base in Aruba. O'Brien eventually got back to Tucson and could have been UA's student body president, if not for Morris K. Udall. What was it like to run against Mo Udall as college students? "We didn't have all the dirty tricks. He beat me, very close, and then Mo called me in, said, 'I want to put you in as Traditions Chairman.' I said, 'Why would you want to do that? I was after you.' He said, 'You're a real hoss.' I knew right then I had met a real politician. I just did it for fun." Are you any relation to Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien, head of the Phoenix Diocese? "No. But I was taking Bishop O'Brien to see my mother one time. I told the bishop, 'I don't want to lead you astray, but -- I'm not a Catholic.' 'You're not a Catholic?!' he said. 'No, bishop. The church I worship is wide, open spaces.' " What does the Irish Cultural and Learning Center mean to you? O'Brien says he wanted to unite the Irish and Irish-Americans in Arizona. "To get the Irish united is tough. They're all so independent. They all think for themselves. I've corralled a lot of cattle. They go between the posts. But try corralling a herd of cats ... "There were about 26 organizations. I put all those leaders on a letterhead and called them the Irish Leadership Coalition. I didn't ask them. I just did it." Next week, those Irish leaders will salute O'Brien back. They didn't ask him to be grand marshal. They just did it. If you go ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE Theme: 20 Years of Tradition. When: 10 a.m. Saturday. Where: Along Central Avenue, from Thomas Road to Margaret T. Hance Park. 2003 grand marshal: Wm. Howard O'Brien. 2003 Irish Person of the Year: Lorraine Flynn. 2003 Arizona Colleen: Erin Sweeney. ST. PATRICK'S DAY FAIRE When: From parade's end until 6 p.m. Saturday. Where: Margaret T. Hance Park, 1100 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. Admission: $5 for adults; free for children younger than 18. Parking: Free shuttle runs from Sixth and Washington streets, and from Central Avenue and Catalina Drive. Information: (602) 280-9221 or www.phxirish.com. Reach the reporter at sean.mccarthy@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-7975. |
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