Most Irish Town In Bay State?

MARSHFIELD, Mass. -- Boston's South Boston neighborhood proudly displays its Irish pride on St. Patrick's Day, but it is not the state's largest Irish community.

NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda reported that distinction would go to the South Shore, especially in the Brant Rock section of Marshfield.

The signs of Ireland can be seen all over Scituate and Marshfield on St. Patrick's Day. For decades, the two communities in Plymouth County have been known as the Irish Riviera.

"I guess it's because a lot of people came here in the '20s and '30s, and people had some money and they bought places along the beach and it just developed into that," said Ed Kelley, of Scituate.

At 31 percent, the census bureau said Plymouth is the most Irish county in the nation.

The hub of the county's Irish is Marshfield's Brant Rock, where one of the main hangouts is the Brant Rock Market owned by Mike Devine's family, which is, of course, Irish.

"I mean, it's hard to find a street where there's not a Sullivan or an O'Connell around. If you really listened to some people, you can still hear that distinct Irish accent still," Devine said.

The Irish Riviera is where Nancy DeCoste's parents settled when she was a child because it was Irish and so were they.

"To me, it means being able to share with my children the roots that they come from and their heritage," she said.

DeCoste works with Kelley, the coordinator of the Scituate St. Patrick's Day parade scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.

"We try to draw the families. This is a family-oriented parade," Kelley said.

Organizers said Scituate's parade will cost about $50,000 to produce. Half of the cost is paid by donations, with the other half paid for by corporate sponsors.