Irish Heritage and Spirit Celebrated in
252nd New York City
St. Patrick's Day Parade
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Overcast
Skies, Mild Snow Flurries Fail to Deter Marchers
and Spectators;
Many
Dignitaries and Near-Record Participation Help Parade
Organizers Produce Another Success
New York, N.Y., March 16, 2013 - Threatening skies and
the mildest of snow flurries had no impact on either
participants or spectators at Saturday's 252nd St.
Patrick's Day Parade. A near-record turnout of
participants and spectators were part of the annual
celebration of Irish Heritage and Spirit that marched up
Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.
The day began with mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Normally celebrated by the Archbishop of New York, the
papal conclave has kept Timothy Cardinal Dolan in Europe
this week; in his place, mass was led by his Eminence
Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop Emeritus. Fr. Richard
Gibbons, P.P., Rector of Knock Shrine (Ireland's
National Marian Shrine) gave an engaging homily as part
of the mass.
This year, the parade featured 184 delegations, 180
marching bands and approx 200,000 marchers. Some planned
military participation was cancelled as a result of the
sequestration process required by the Federal
Government; travel that was not deemed necessary for
national security has been drastically restricted.
The oldest, biggest and best St. Patrick's Day Parade in
the world, the New York City St. Patrick's Day
Parade remains true to its roots as a traditional
marchers' parade by not allowing floats, automobiles and
other commercial aspects to participate.
Grand Marshal for the parade was Alfred E. Smith IV.
Aides were Peter J.Coyle, Robert F. Nolan, Arthur Warren
Scullin, J. James Sullivan, Michael McVey, James P.
Walsh, James E. Henry III, Della Byrne Weissenberger,
Christopher Cawley, Thomas R. McDonald, Kathleeen Keegan
Mattessich, Robert J. Creighton, Paul Hurley and Pat
Troy.
Other dignitaries who participated included:
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Enda Kenny, prime minister ("Taoiseach") of
Ireland
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Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City
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Raymond Kelly, police commissioner of New York City
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Andrew M. Cuomo, governor of New York State
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Joseph D'Amico, superintendent of the New York State
Police
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Bernard Poignant, advisor to the president of France
Highlights included:
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A delegation from Covenant House, the nation's
largest adolescent care agency now in its 41st year.
The delegation featured more than 50 formerly homeless
teens who helped raise awareness of the need for
support.
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The Breezy Point Catholic Club Pipe Band, who
lost all of their instruments and uniforms in Hurricane
Sandy. They used donated equipment, rented bagpipes and
uniforms paid for with donations to proudly march up
Fifth Avenue and remind everyone viewing in person and
that help for Breezy Point is still needed.
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A delegation of more than 200 marchers from Newtown,
Conn., site of the tragic shooting of 26 teachers and
students last December 14. The 95-member Newtown High
Marching Band and the 27-member Newtown High Color Guard
led the group.
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The Fr. Michael Judge Division of the Guard Pipe & Drum
Corps Band from Jersey City, N.J. This was the debut in
the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade for the group
who honor the legendary New York City Fire Department
chaplain who lost his life in the 9/11 attacks on the
World Trade Center.
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New delegations included groups from the American Red
Cross and Seton Hall University.
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In addition to representation of groups from all five
boroughs of New York and from throughout the tri-state
area, delegations from Alabama, Rhode Island, Minnesota,
Pennsylvania, Georgia, California, Virginia and
Wisconsin also participated.
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All five branches of the United States military - the
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard had
delegations and were joined by a group from the U.S.
Parks Mounted Police.
Foreign delegations included:
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Bagpipe bands from Astoria and Galecia, Spain
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A bagpipe band and dance group from Brittany, France
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The 58th Infantry Battalion, Reserve Defense
Force, Ireland (among several Irish delegations)
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The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Pipe and Drums of Nova
Scotia, Canada
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A bagpipe band from Australia
Beginning promptly at 11 a.m., the parade was led by its
traditional first delegation - the 69th Regiment
of the First Battalion ("The Fighting 69th")
of the New York National Guard under the command of Lt.
Col. James Gonyo. Piper for the regiment was Pipe Major
Joe Brady.
The St. Patrick's Day Parade is one of New York City's
greatest traditions, marching for the first time on
March 17, 1762 when it was formed by a band of homesick
Irish ex-patriots and Irish military. After the War of
1812, the Irish fraternal and beneficial societies took
over the duties of hosting and sponsoring the event. In
the mid-1800s, the Ancient Order of Hibernians became
the official sponsor of the parade.
To this day, the St. Patrick's Day Parade remains true
to its roots as a traditional marchers' parade by not
allowing floats, automobiles and other commercial
aspects to participate. Every year, the Parade Committee
hosts 150,000 to 250,000 marchers in front of
approximately two million spectators lining Fifth
Avenue. The Parade was also televised for four hours on
New York's WNBC Channel 4 to over half a million
households and, since 2008, video coverage has been
streamed over the Internet at
http://nycstpatricksparade.org . Parade enthusiasts
and spectators were also able to follow the action on
Twitter @stpatsparadenyc or #nycspdp .
Throughout its history, the parade has been held in
honor of the Patron Saint of Ireland and the Archdiocese
of New York. The parade starts at 44th Street
at 11 a.m. and is held every March 17th except
when March 17th falls on a Sunday; because of
religious observances on those occasions, it is
celebrated the day before, on Saturday the 16th.
The parade marches up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick's
Cathedral at 50th Street and continues to 79th Street,
where the parade finishes at approximately 4:30-5 p.m.