Mark Gorman

Mark Gorman, originally from Mountrath, Co. Laois, is honored to serve as the 2025 Grand Marshal of the San Francisco St. Patrick's Day Parade. He grew up in a close-knit family as the second youngest of seven children, with three brothers and three sisters. His mother, Philomena (née Dollard), will celebrate her 92nd birthday in January and is still an avid bingo player. His father, Patrick, passed away in 1998. Mark’s love for sport was nurtured in his home club, St. Fintan’s Mountrath, a dual club where hurling and football are played, though hurling was his true passion. Mark represented Laois in both minor hurling and football in the same year.
Sport has always been central to Mark’s life. He completed high school in Ireland and moved to San Francisco in 1990, where he continued his sporting journey. He played hurling with Na Fianna until the mid-2000s and represented Erin's Isle and Young Irelanders football teams.

In the early 2000s, John O'Flynn, then chairman of the San Francisco Youth GAA (SFYGAA), approached Mark to help introduce hurling to the younger generation in San Francisco. With the help of many others, Mark successfully brought hurling to SFYGAA, sparking a passion for the game in the city’s youth. He went on to serve as the President of the SFYGAA Board and was the lead organizer when San Francisco hosted the Continental Youth Championships on two occasions.

In 2000, Mark married his childhood sweetheart, Edel O'Rourke, and they have two children. Their daughter, Molly, is pursuing a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy in London, while their son, Evin, is studying Construction Management as a sophomore at Chico State University.

Mark is a proud advocate of Irish culture in Ireland and the U.S. and is strongly committed to giving back to the community. He also serves as a board member of the United Irish Cultural Center (UICC) in San Francisco, supporting a wide range of Irish cultural initiatives.