Today we’d like to introduce you to John Hyatt.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I came to San Diego in 1986 to serve aboard the USS Truxtun in the U.S. Navy. When I got out of the Navy, I stayed in San Diego and was hired by the Postal Service in 1994. In 1995, I moved to Banker’s Hill and used to walk up to Balboa Park’s Houses of Hospitality on the weekends. It was at the House of Ireland that I met two lovely Irish women named Ellen and Kathleen. They invited me to Irish folk dancing (ceili) in Balboa Park and to events at the House of Ireland. Discovering I had Irish ancestry from a famine immigrant from the west of Ireland, I became involved with the House, the Pride of Erin dance group, and the Irish community.
Eventually, my fellow dance friend, Patrick, invited me to an Irish Congress meeting to help organize the Irish dancing at the parade and festival (this was probably 1997 or 1998). I participated in the parade as a part of the entries with the dance group and cottage. So, I thought this was a way to give back to the community. I had fun and enjoyed working with the volunteers, and stayed on to keep helping.
In 2008, I was asked to chair the 2009 event. Each chair selects a theme for their parade, and I chose “Celebrating Children’s Services: Adoption, Fostering, Mentoring.” This was close to my heart as a child who benefited from the Big Brothers program and supporting the need for loving adoptive families and mentoring children. That was a lot of work and a rewarding experience.
Since then, I’ve helped with other committees and served on the Board of Directors. I am currently on the Board of Directors and handle the social media, media, and advertising. I have also written about events in the region for the West Coast based Irish community newspaper The Irish Herald for 20 years.
I am also of Dutch heritage. My mother is from Rotterdam, and I am a first-generation American. I formed a Dutch community group in 2004 through meetup, and since we have held annual Kingsday celebrations (similar to St. Patrick’s Day for Dutch heritage), monthly gatherings, and other events. I’m honored to be part of that group and to work with the Honorary Dutch Consulate here as well.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall, it has been a smooth journey. The Irish community in San Diego is vast. Many people identify as having Irish heritage, and there are many businesses, groups, and organizations that are proud of that culture and heritage. It is wonderful to see them come together at the St. Patrick’s Day event to celebrate that in a giant party. But throughout the year there are other times when groups get together to support each other at other events.
The Irish Congress of Southern California is just one part of many that make up this beautiful community at the end of a rainbow. We have 4 schools teaching Irish dance and a few organizations preserving and passing on Irish music and dance. We have the Emerald Society orders for the Law Enforcement, and Firefighters, an Irish Bar association, Gaelic athletic associations for men, women, and children, several Irish bar and business owners, and the charity-minded fraternal group, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.
In addition, we have the Irish Outreach Center (located in Old Town) that supports and helps Irish immigrants, temporary students and work visas, passport support, and so much more for Irish Americans as well. Through the Irish Outreach, the community bands together to provide a magical Irish Christmas for needing families in San Diego with the Irish You a Merry Christmas organization which provides bicycles, presents, and meals. We also have an Honorary Irish Consul General located here in San Diego who is working to develop business connections between southwestern states (including San Diego in Southern California) and Ireland.
Aside from normal challenges related to producing such a large event, such as continuing rising costs, a pandemic that shut everything down for 2 years, and the occasional year of rain, I can say the good far outweighs the struggles. I am very proud to be part of this community and associated with members of the organizations listed above.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served overseas in the Persian Gulf before being stationed in San Diego (1983-1987). I worked at a local uniform manufacturer in El Cajon for several years before joining the Postal Service in 1994 as a letter carrier. I delivered mail in El Cajon, Bay Park, Sports Arena, and Hillcrest for about 18 years. I moved into the marketing department working with our business customers, and eventually the communications department as a writer/editor and assisting our media team. I am proud to be a Postal employee and serve in my community.
But I’d like to focus on the Irish community. I’ve been a member of the House of Ireland since about 1996 and been happy to be part of sharing Irish heritage and culture at the December Nights events (formerly Christmas on the Prado), St. Patrick’s Day lawn programs, and other events throughout the year. Through the Pride of Erin Ceili Dancing group, I began learning Irish folk dance and eventually Irish step dancing (like you see on Riverdance) as an adult. My participation in these organizations has brought me a strong connection to the Irish ancestry I have and a wonderful appreciation for the heritage and culture. I am also of Dutch heritage, being first generation from the Netherlands, but that never impeded the Irish hospitality and embrace.
As a member of the Irish Congress and working with the parade committee for so long, I have been privileged to work alongside amazing people of those Irish businesses and organizations. The Irish are known for their hospitality and warmth, and that is very true of the community here in San Diego.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I feel like luck has generally been good for me. Luck lets you win big at the Lotto or when that chance meeting turns into something amazing. I feel like for me; I haven’t had a lot bad luck. Life and circumstances have allowed me to make good choices for my life and career and enabled me to have a wonderful childhood, husband, and home. If I had to say there was one big thing that luck played a part in, it was my transfer to 32nd Street Naval Base in the Navy. Without that, I may never have found this beautiful place to live and build amazing friendships. I plan to stay in San Diego for more years to come.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stpatsparade.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stpatsparadesd
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stpatsparadesd
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/dutchsandiego
Image Credits
John Hyatt
