It was truly a "top o' the mornin' to you" moment at Clinton Elementary School, as a bagpiper greeted parents and children before school and launched Maplewood's St. Patrick's Day celebrations in festive fashion.

The idea of the St. Patrick's Day morning bagpiper was introduced a few years back by principal Patricia O'Neill—she's just a little bit Irish. Now, the Clinton PTA picks up the tab through its cultural affairs budget, according to Cecelia Cancellaro.

Clearly, this new Clinton School tradition is quite popular. Children were actually observed hopping, skipping and dragging their parents along as they rushed to get to school once they heard the bagpipe music in the distance. And, yes, you can hear the bagpipe music in the distance!

O'Neill, by the way, is one of nine children. She is a life-long Maplewoodian and one of her sisters teaches at Tuscan School.