Amid a sea of kelly green saturating City Hall March 9 for the annual Irish flag raising, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, resplendent in royal blue, was a surprise guest. But she hadn’t missed the sartorial memo — the senator was filing her re-election papers — an announcement made by acting Mayor Mark Farrell and Protocol Chief Charlotte Shultz that elicited loud cheers that ricocheted off the marble Rotunda. 

Feinstein owns her Celtic cred. addressing revelers at this commencement of Irish American Heritage month in San Francisco, the former mayor recalled a long-ago dinner at the Irish Cultural Center where she buttonholed John Moylan (a County Tipperary native, civic leader and Golden Gate Bridge board director) to form the S.F.-Cork Sister Committee — a 34-year relationship that’s yielded influential cultural, academic and economic exchange. 

For San Francisco Irish, March Madness encompasses a whole other meaning — one that’s rife with pipers, dinners, Ceili dances, speechifying, corned beef, music seisiúns, lunches, more speeches and Irish whiskey, natch. 

Leading the city’s 167th St. Patrick’s Day Parade was Grand Marshal Bill Welch, whose Irish immigrant grandfather founded Duggan-Welch Mortuary 100 years ago. 

Farrell paid tribute to the late Mayor Ed Lee, a stalwart Irish community proponent who claimed Irish heritage based on Cork’s famous waterway: the River Lee. 

Irish Consul General Robert O’Driscoll was celebrating his first St. Patrick’s Day in the states. But he knew his local history, citing the 1848 Gold Rush that coincided with Ireland’s great famine and drew an exodus of immigrants here, many of whom comprise a long list of Irish-SF leaders from Mayor Frank McCoppin to SFFD Chief Joanne Hayes-White and S.F. Human Resources Director Micki Callahan.        

“The Irish DNA is very much a part of San Francisco,” he noted. “And the city’s values have influenced modern-day Ireland, now an open and inclusive society that passed the Irish marriage-equality referendum in 2015. 

“We’re almost 6,000 miles away from Ireland. Yet it’s remarkable how at home I am here,” continued O’Driscoll. “San Francisco feels almost like Ireland’s 33rd county.” 

Later that night, the Ireland Funds hosted its gala dinner at the St. Francis Hotel where County Carlow native Lorraine Twohill, Google SVP of global marketing, was honored for her philanthropy that includes, with husband, Pete Davis, raising more than $1 million for cancer research. 

“We’ve been living in the U.S. for nine years now,” she said. “But we’ve always felt welcome in America as immigrants. We were lucky: We’re the right color. I’m very aware that so few immigrants are as lucky as we are.” 

The heart of this soiree also beat for philanthropist Chuck Feeney, the single largest supporter of education in Ireland, and the late Craig Sullivan, a longtime Ireland Funds trustee, whose generosity includes funding “Sesame Street” to air in Northern Ireland, which has assisted in breaking down sectarian prejudice. 

“His greatest achievement was as a father, grandfather, and husband to Maureen Sullivan . But Craig’s passion for Ireland was intense, deep and pervasive,” said Ireland Funds President Kieran McLoughlin . “He projected a curmudgeonly image. Yet Craig’s humor reflected his true humanity — he understood the soft underbelly of mankind.” 

The I’s have it: For 63 years, one of the most rollicking St. Patrick’s Day celebrations is the Italian Athletic Club lunch hosted by the Irish-Israeli-Italian Society. Fondly dubbed Triple I, the club was co-founded by John Shimmon, who still faithfully serves as secretary. 

Benedictions were given by SFPD Chaplain the Rev. Mike Healy and Rabbi Moshe Levin, both of whom prayed for the students killed in Florida. 

“What unites us is greater than what divides us,” said Levin. “Italian, Irish, Israeli, Buddhist or Muslim, we are one community in San Francisco. That’s the lesson of Triple-I: Every human, no matter their tradition, is sacred.” 

Led by club co-presidents Quentin Kopp, Leonard Stefanelli and Adriene Roche, the event honored former KTVU anchor Dennis Richmond, KNBR sports radio host Brian Murphy and SFPD Sgt. Mike Koniaris. 

Cheering on the honorees was an old-school contingent of retired judges, former supervisors, honorables of this and that, Giants Community Fund boosters, assorted consuls general and campaigning politicos. 

Koniaris joked that even though his last name is Greek, his recent DNA results clock in at forty-five percent Irish. But Murphy was going for the gold. 

“My last name is Murphy but my mother is a Benedetti. During European pogroms, many Jews escaped to northern Italy and took the name De Benedetti,” he explained. “So I might be the first three-of-three honoree in Triple I history.” 

Irish honors: SFPD Capt. Joseph McFadden was honored at the 54th Hibernian-Newman Club St. Patrick’s Day lunch — that almost turned into dinner with its many, many speeches. But 800 guests faithfully stayed for a keynote by former 49er fan favorite Bill Ring. 

Plough and Stars owner Sean Heaney was recently awarded legacy status by the S.F. Office of Small Businesses for his beloved Clement Street pub where, since 1975, Heany showcases some of Ireland’s best musicians, and bluegrass, too, while pulling one of the city’s best pints of Guinness. 

And, finally, on March 16, John Moylan celebrated his 90th birthday. During a hooley he hosted at his Sunset home with his wife, Phyllis Moylan, and their seven children, he was flocked by his many fans, showered with a flurry of city proclamations and his son Brendan Moylan brewed a special beer: “John Moylan’s Ale: Irishman, Family Man, Union Man, Bridge Man & Jack Henning Award Honoree.” 

“Johnny, you have been such a wonderful friend through thick and thin,” toasted Feinstein, via video. “Your dedication and devotion to your work and community are truly inspiring. I salute your many accomplishments and outstanding service.” 

Catherine Bigelow is The San Francisco Chronicle’s society correspondent. Email: missbigelow@sfgate.com Instagram: @missbigelow