Labor leader John (Jack) Ahern was installed as Grand Marshal of the 253^rd annual New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade on Tuesday evening January 14^th at the majestic New York Athletic Club in Manhattan.
Fourteen aides to the Grand Marshal for the 2014 parade were also honored.

John Dunleavy, Chairman of the Parade, said "Jack Ahern is an outstanding Irish American who has devoted a huge amount of his energy and charisma contributing to the legacy of the Irish in this great country. We are delighted he accepted the honor to lead us on March 17^th and we look forward to a wonderful day celebrating our Irish heritage with Jack Ahern at the helm. We thank him for his support of labor and immigration reform"
 said John Dunleavy.

"We are also extremely happy to recognize this year's outstanding individuals who have been selected Aides to the Grand Marshal' said John Dunleavy to a large audience from across the Tri-State area. "They will lead us proudly up Fifth Avenue along with the Grand Marshal Jack Ahern on Monday, March 17^th" said Dunleavy. Aides to the Grand Marshal are chosen annually by the Parade's participating organizations in recognition for their outstanding service to the Irish American Community. "One's selection as an Aide is acknowledgement of years of unselfish, dedicated and distinguish service to the New York and Irish communities plus it is the acknowledgement of their contribution to Irish Faith, Culture and Heritage' said Hilary Beirne Parade Executive Secretary..

The Aides to the Grand Marshal for the 2014 Parade will be New York Co; John F. Tully, Bronx Co;  John Ward, Queens Co;   Mrs. Maureen Logar, Kings Co;  Mary McGuinness, Richmond Co;   Fr. Michael T. Martine, Nassau Co: Sean P. O'Rourke, Suffolk Co; John William Ryan Westchester Co; Catherine T. Marshal, Rockland Co ; Neil F. Cosgrove, Orange Co; John J. Brophy, UIC;  Mary O'Brien, Grand Council;  Edwin J. Day, Knights of St Patrick; 
James Daly. Aide at Large; Therese Crowe

Fr Sheehan OJ Chaplin of Notre Dame University began the ceremony with an invocation in front of a large crowd of delegates from the Parade's 200 marching groups, along with Church leaders and local politicians. Dr. John Lahey, Vice Chairman of the Parade and President of Quinnipiac University, introduced all of the honored guests as well as the 2014 Aides to the Grand Marshal.

Committee Chairman, John Dunleavy, introduced and presented Mr. Ahern with the Official Grand Marshal's Sash for 2014 and Mr. Ahern graciously accepted the honor. Jack Ahern gave a brief speech explaining how truly honored he was to be this year's Grand Marshal. He stated "I am honored to follow in the footsteps of so many great leaders of the Irish community in New York. I thank to committee for this honor and I look forward to marching up Fifth Avenue on March 17^th in the greatest parade in the world".

Dignitaries present were  Major Sean Flynn Commanding Officer of the Fighting 69^th Regiment who have lead the Parade for the past 162 years, Hilary Beirne Chairman of the St Patrick's Day Foundation NYC and Executive Secretary of the Parade, John T. Dunleavy Parade Chairman,  Alfred E. Smith IV 2013 Grand Marshal, Dr. John L. Lahey, President of Quinnipac University and Vice-Chairman of the Parade, Hon. Noel Kilkenny Consul General of Ireland in New York, John J. O'Connor President of the board of the St Patrick's Day Parade, John Fitzsimons member of the  board of director of the Parade, Eugene McCarthy President of the Knights of St Patrick NYC, Brennan O'Donnell President of Manhattan College, Ronald Cohen Deputy Mayor of New York, Lt Michael Greco New York State Police, Paddy McCarthy Owner of the Irish Examiner NY, Ray O'Hanlon Irish Echo editor, Treasa Goodwin-Smyth Parade broadcast presenter,   Antonio E. Sanchez Galicia Spain, Past Grand Marshals Mary Holt Moore, Past Grand Marshal Barney Ferguson,  Mary Hogan National Vice-President LAOH and NY State President of the AOH Jim Burke.

Background on the New York St. Patrick's Day Parade:

Held each year to honor Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, the parade also honors the

Archdiocese of New York by celebrating a proud legacy of Irish faith and heritage. This year the Parade will again be reviewed from the steps of St. Patrick's Cathedral by Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Cardinal Egan of New York, a tradition dating from earlier days at the Old St. Patrick's Cathedral in Lower Manhattan.

In 2014, as in all 253 previous years, the parade will be organized by volunteers from the community under the careful stewardship of the St. Patrick's Parade Committee who ensure that the parade retains its traditional values and connection to its past and the church, under the steady leadership of Chairman-Director John T. Dunleavy.

The New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade workers and committee members are volunteers. Some members and their families have helped run the parade for several generations. All take great pride in the work while encouraging others of Irish heritage and descent to join them in organizing and running the world's largest parade.

In the words of Mary McAleese, President of Ireland, said, "Every year on the 17th of March, we in Ireland come together with our extended family around the world to honor our patron saint and to celebrate all the attributes that made us proud to be Irish. It gives us immense pleasure and delight to see so many celebrations of our culture and traditions taking place across the globe. Our connection to New York and the St. Patrick's Day Parade in that city is a particularly strong and special one."

The New York City St Patrick's Parade marched for the first time in 1762, fourteen Years before the Declaration of Independence was signed in Independence Hall, Philadelphia.  The Parade is regarded as the most popular of the all the Parades in New York City, and honors Saint Patrick - the patron Saint of the Archdiocese of New York and Ireland.  The New York Parade consists only of marchers and each year hosts some 250,000 marchers and two million spectators. The Parade has many outstanding marching bands, bagpipers in marching formations, high-school and college bands from throughout the United States and from all over the world.

The occasion is televised live to millions of households nationwide for four hours by host station WNBC Channel Four.
The broadcast is webcast live via the internet through the Parade's web site at NYCStPatricksParade.Org
 
and WNBC Channel Four web site at www.wnbc.com .

The Parade this year will be held on Monday March 17^th 2014, starting at 11:00am.
 The Parade route runs from 44^th Street to 79^th Street on Fifth Avenue.

Grand Marshal of the 2014 New York St. Patrick's Day Parade:

The 2014 Grand Marshal, John (Jack) Ahern is a lifelong member of labor and a supporter of immigration reform. He is an outstanding Irish American who has devoted a huge amount of his energy and charisma contributing to the legacy of the Irish in America. He is active in many community affairs and has received numerous honors from many organizations recognizing his lifelong endeavors including Grand Marshal of the St Patrick's Day Parade in the Rockaway; Guest of Honor for the Emerald Isle Immigration Association; inclusion in the Irish Echo Labor 50 edition, and Irishman of the Year
at the Great Irish Fair in Coney Island.

The New York City St Patrick's Parade marched for the first time in 1762, fourteen Years before the Declaration of Independence was signed in Independence Hall, Philadelphia.  The Parade is regarded as the most popular of the all the Parades in New York City, andhonors Saint Patrick - the patron Saint of the Archdiocese of New York and Ireland.  The New York Parade consists only of marchers and each year hosts some 250,000 marchers and two million spectators. The Parade has many outstanding marching bands, bagpipers in marching formations, high-school and college bands from throughout the United States and from all over the world.

The occasion is televised live to millions of households nationwide for four hours by host station WNBC Channel Four. The broadcast is webcast live via the internet through the Parade's web site at NYCStPatricksParade.Org
 and WNBC Channel Four web site at www.wnbc.com .