South Boston Citizens Association Gears Up for 2025 Evacuation Day Activities

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South Boston Citizens’ Association (SBCA) the nation's oldest neighborhood civic organization, is gearing up for its 2025 Evacuation Day program, when Boston pays tribute to the historic events of 1776, while celebrating the Irish-American traditions of the neighborhood. 

Evacuation Day refers to the historic incident on March 17, 1776, when colonial troops forced the British to evacuate Boston, after pointing cannons from Dorchester Heights in South Boston at the British fleet in Boston Harbor.  Their brave actions ended the 11-month Siege of Boston. 

SBCA President Thomas E. McGrath recently announced that the Executive Board selected Edward Flynn of the U.S. Navy (Retired) as the 2025 General Chairman of the Association’s 2025 Evacuation Day commemoration.

“The executive board and I look forward to working with Ed, to ensure once again the success of this unique community celebration, the commemoration of the British evacuation of Boston in 1776,” said McGrath. "Eddie is a lifelong resident and active member of the SBCA his entire adult life. His dedication to the South Boston Citizens’ Association and the neighborhood of South Boston will continue to make it a great place for all who live here. We are honored to list him as a member, and even prouder to name him this year’s General Chairman.”

Ed Flynn

Ed Flynn served in the U.S. Navy from 1987 to his retirement in 2014. He and his wife Kristen have two children, Caroline and Stephen.  As the District 2 Boston City Councilor and former City Council President, Ed Flynn is currently in his fourth term. He has helped secure funding to support the renovation of the Curley Community Center, a new Boston Fire Department and Boston EMS presence in the South Boston Waterfront, as well as the study for a new South Boston Public Library.

The South Boston Citizens Association is sponsoring numerous civic and sporting events over a three-week period as part of its annual commemorative celebration of Evacuation Day.

The first event of the season is the Jimmy Flaherty Kick-Off Breakfast on Saturday, March 1, at the Seapoint Restaurant, chaired by State Representative David Biele. At the breakfast, the Association presents the annual Henry Knox Unsung Hero Awards, which are given to everyday volunteers in the community who seek no recognition for their efforts.  This year’s recipients are BPD Officer Billy Connor, Jay Arthur, Shannon Maloney, Anne Marie Adduci and Billy Allen.

Other SBCA events include the 145th Annual Evacuation Day Banquet at the Boston Convention Center on Friday, March 14. To purchase tickets to the banquet, email tmcgrath1963sb@gmail.com or call at 857-204-5825. 

On Monday, March 17, the SBCA attends the Evacuation Day mass at St. Augustine Chapel at 181 Dorchester Street in South Boston. Then Memorial Exercises take place at the South Boston Boys and Girls Club on Monday, with a quick wreath laying stop at the base of Dorchester Heights, which is currently under renovation.

Since 1901, the South Boston community has commemorated March 17 as Evacuation Day at Dorchester Heights.  March 17 is also the Feast of St. Patrick, Ireland's patron saint, and the annual St. Patrick's Day parade traditionally takes place on the Sunday prior to March 17. 

New England's Irish and Scots-Irish played a key role in breaking the British lockdown of Boston.  General John Sullivan, who led the colonial troops at Dorchester Heights, was the son of indentured Irish immigrant parents who settled in New Hampshire.  And Henry Knox, who masterminded the plan to transport 58 cannons from Fort Ticonderoga in New York to be used at Dorchester Heights, was born in Boston of Scots-Irish immigrants who settled here from Ulster Province in Ireland. 

Learn more about the connections between Evacuation Day and St. Patrick's Day in South Boston.

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