WILKES-BARRE — Thomas Malloy Sr. won’t be driving the grand marshal of the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade along the route as he’s done for the past few years.

He won’t be driven as this year’s grand marshal, either.

“I think I’m going to walk,” Malloy said Wednesday after Mayor Tony George honored him with the ceremonial title for the 39th annual parade that steps off at 2 p.m. on March 10.

On the surface the Wilkes-Barre District Justice’s choice seems out of step with tradition, but Malloy has good reason to march to the beat of a different drummer.

“My boys have been in the Wyoming Valley Pipe and Drum Band forever. My youngest guy’s a bagpiper. My oldest guy is a drummer. So it wouldn’t be fair to the bagpipe band if I took my children out of the band and walked with me. So I asked the entire band to walk with me and they accepted,” Malloy explained. “I might even wear a kilt.”

Before he could accept, Malloy, 58, said he had to clear it with the Ethics Committee of Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts to make sure he wasn’t violating any of the codes of conduct for judges. “It’s very important to me. If I take an oath, it’s an oath,” said Malloy who took office in January 2016.

Malloy’s heritage helped too. He recalled getting the OK two weeks ago, saying “the head of our ethics committee came out to our meeting and said, ‘And a judge from Luzerne County wants to be the grand marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.’ So we had a little deliberation over that and he said, ‘As long as he’s Irish, we’ll let him do it.’ “

The mayor proclaimed parade day “Thomas Malloy Day” and that more than pleased him.

“I’m very honored and humbled to be, even looked at to be the grand marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. With my family and my Irish heritage, I mean it’s not only an honor to myself but my whole family,” Malloy said.

He and his wife Alicia have two sons, Thomas Jr. and Michael.

“We’ll be there. I drove the past presidents for the past three years,” Malloy said. “I drove (former city police)chief Joe Coyne and Joe Moran when they were each the grand marshals and then as they were past grand marshals. And they’re great people and it’s great to follow in their footsteps.”

Wilkes-Barre District Justice Thomas Malloy, right, said he, along with his family, was honored to be named Grand Marshal of the Wilkes-Barre St. Patrick’s Day Parade by Mayor Tony George, left. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL022819marshal2.jpg Wilkes-Barre District Justice Thomas Malloy, right, said he, along with his family, was honored to be named Grand Marshal of the Wilkes-Barre St. Patrick’s Day Parade by Mayor Tony George, left. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Aimee Dilger | Times Leader Tyler Ryan, assistant to Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George, captured the moment Wednesday afternoon when her boss, center, named District Justice Thomas Malloy, right, to serve as the Grand Marshal for the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 10. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL022819marshal3.jpg Tyler Ryan, assistant to Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George, captured the moment Wednesday afternoon when her boss, center, named District Justice Thomas Malloy, right, to serve as the Grand Marshal for the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 10. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader Aimee Dilger | Times Leader Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George, left, proclaimed March 10 “Thomas Malloy Day” for District Justice Malloy, right, who will serve as grand marshal for the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL022819marshal1.jpg Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George, left, proclaimed March 10 “Thomas Malloy Day” for District Justice Malloy, right, who will serve as grand marshal for the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Jerry Lynott jlynott@timesleader.com