Fighting 69th to Lead Rockland St. Patrick's Day Parade in Pearl River

Traditionally, the Parade Commander takes the lead as the Rockland County St. Patrick's Day Parade marches through Pearl River.

When the 51st annual parade begins its parth down Middletown Road 1:30 p.m. Sunday, it will be the Honor Guard from The Fighting 69th leading the way just ahead of Parade Commander Kieran Murphy of Pearl River, who has been a member of the Fighting 69th Infantry Brigade of the New York National Guard since 2006.

"Once they knew one of theirs was our parade commander, they were very excited to lead our parade," said organizing committee co-chair William Lee. "The Fighting 69th as a whole, the tie-in to the Irish and how fierce a group they were in battle. It's really, really interesting. To have them this year is great."

This year's parade is dedicated to unit known as "The Fighting 69th." Irish American Heritage Month Committee Chair Neil Cosgrove explained some of the history in the dedication that follows, which is part of this year's parade program. The full line of march for the parade and other items from the program follow. A copy of the program is attached to this report. 

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The 51st Rockland County St. Patrick’s day parade is dedicated to the 69th New York National Guard, “The Fighting 69th”. That the Rockland County Hibernians should dedicate this parade to this storied regiment is appropriate for three reasons.

First, in this year where we will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg, we remember the valor of Irish American and the sacrifices they made in that bloody conflict. Ironically in the years immediately preceding the war, many nativist Americans questioned the loyalty of Irish Catholic immigrants and if they could in fact be true Americans.

In answer to this charge the 69th was formed by Irish American volunteers who offered their services to their adopted country. As part of the famed “Irish Brigade” comprising four other Irish American regiments they soon put any doubts regarding Celtic Courage and Irish Loyalty to rest. It was the enemy commander Robert E. Lee who gave the 69th the nickname of “The Fighting 69th.” The 69th would suffer more casualties than any other New York regiment earning that title.

The 69th has been serving America loyally ever since, as attested by the fact that it is authorize to have a staff for its regimental flag one foot longer than Army regulation to accommodate its campaign ribbons.

The 69th once again gained national notoriety when called upon to serve in the First World War, which brings us to the second reason for this dedication. Serving in the ranks of the 69th was a Sergeant from Haverstraw: Michael A. Donaldson. Sgt. “Big Mike” Donaldson would earn the Medal of Honor for making six trips into “no man’s land” under enemy machine gun fire to carry out wounded comrades.

The final reason is with us today. While no longer an exclusively Irish American regiment, the 69th still carries on its proud traditions. As Fr. Duffy once observed of the non-Gaelic members of the regiment “they are Irish by adoption, Irish by association or Irish by conviction.”

Irish Americans are still found in their ranks, gallantly serving their country as they always have. They are typified by our Parade Commander Sgt. Kieran Murphy of Pearl River who was recently awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received while serving in the current conflict in Afghanistan.

The service of the 69th is a tribute to the countless Irish Americans who have always answered the call to service whether in the armed forces, protecting our streets, running into burning buildings, educating the young or nursing the old. While cynics and commercial interest try to degrade our celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, let us point to the 69th and the generations of service by Irish American as the true spirit of the day.

 --- Neil F. Cosgrove, Irish American Heritage Month Committee Chair

Rockland County 51^st Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Line of March

Honor Battalion

• Color Guard, 69th (New York) National Guard, “Fighting 69th”
• Parade Commander: Sgt. Kieran Murphy, 69th Infantry Regiment (New York)
• Orangetown Police Honor Guard
• Rockland County AOH Banner
• Rockland County AOH Edward V. Larkin Memorial Pipe Band
• Grand Marshal: Monsignor Edward J. Weber., AOH Division #3

Aides to the Grand Marshal:

• Teresa Hartey-Adametz, LAOH County Board
• Dan Donohue, AOH Div. #1
• Siobhan Daly-O’Neill, LAOH Div. #2
• William Young, AOH Div #3
• Eileen Beirne, LAOH Div. #3
• Brian Tesseyman, AOH Div. #4
• Heather Bowie, LAOH Div # 4
• Mike Tracey, AOH Div #5
• Mary Haugh, Rockland County Feis
• Denis O’Leary, Rockland Irish American Cultural Center
• John McKiernan, Rockland Gaelic Athletic Association
• James Coyle, Rockland County Police Emerald Society
• John Pinto, NYPD Lt. (Ret.), Rockland County Shields
• Kerry Pipers
• Rockland County Parade Co-Chairperson: Mary O’Sullivan
• Rockland County Parade Co-Chairperson: William Lee
• National AOH President: Brendan Moore
• National AOH Freedom for All Ireland: Sean Pender
• NYS AOH Secretary: Tim McSweeney
• NYS AOH Treasurer: Vic Vogel
• Rockland County AOH President: Vincent D. Tyer III
• Rockland County LAOH President: Joan Moore
• AOH Chaplain: Msgr. John Mulligan
• Vicar of Rockland County: Msgr. Emmett Nevin
• Aide to the Grand Marshal NYC: Chris Cawley
• Rockland County Hibernian of the Year: Teresa Morris
• Rockland County Businessman of the Year: Emmett Woods
• Judiciary, Federal, State, County and Town Officials
• C. Scott Vanderhoef, Rockland County Executive
• Rockland County Sheriff’s Department Police Color Guard
• Rockland County Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol
• “When did an Irishman need a prayer in a fight?”
• (Father Francis P. Duffy, “Fighting 69th” Chaplin)
• Color Guard and Members: Veterans of Foreign Wars, Clarkstown 851
• Color Guard and Members: American Legion Post 329
• Jewish War Veterans of USA
• St. Raymond Academy Band
• Color Guard and Members: Korean War Veterans of Rockland County: Eagle Chapter
• Color Guard and Members: Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 333
• Pearl River High School Marching Band
• Rockland County Marine Corps League
• Color Guard and Members: League 82nd Airborne Division Association, Inc.
• American History Timeline
• Chorwon Chapter American-Korean War Veterans Association of New Jersey
• Taejon Chapter 170 Korean War Veterans Association of New Jersey
• Saint Augustine School
• Rockland County Police Emerald Society
• Rockland County Firefighters Pipes and Drums
• Pearl River Fire Department

First Battalion

• Battalion Commander: Patrick Withers, AOH Division #4, Suffern
• Ramapo Police Honor Guard
• AOH Pipes and Drums of Orange County
• AOH Members Division #4, Suffern
• Rockland County Knights of Columbus
• Verlin School of Irish Dance
• Ramapo Scouts
• County Sligo Men’s S & B Association, Inc.
• Sacred Heart School, Suffern
• Elevator Constructors Local 1 of NY/NJ Pipe Band
• ARC
• Buddy Ball
• Camp Venture

Second Battalion

• Battalion Commander: Lillian Murphy, LAOH Division #2, Blauvelt
• Westwood Volunteer Fire Department Color Guard
• Bergen Irish Pipe Band
• LAOH Division Members #2, #3 and #4
• Scoil Rince Moran Irish Step Dancing
• St. Francis of Assisi Parish
• Catholic Daughters Court Saint Clare
• Paramus Catholic Marching Paladins
• County Kerry
• St. Anthony’s School
• Clarkstown Scouts
• New York City Transit Pipes and Drums
• Albertus Magnus High School – “The Catholic High School of Rockland County”

Third Battalion

• Battalion Commander: James Schutz, AOH Division #5, South Orangetown
• Port Authority Police Honor Guard
• Port Authority Police Pipes and Drums
• AOH Members, Division #5, South Orangetown
• Rockland Irish American Cultural Center
• McBride Chapter INA
• Clan Na Gael
• Brewer Fire Company # 1
• FDNY Emerald Society Pipes & Drums
• FDNY Emerald Society
• South Orangetown Scouts
• Woods School of Irish Dance
• Clarkstown Police Honor Guard
• Hudson Valley Regional Police Pipes and Drums
• Rockland Gaelic Athletic Association

Fourth Battalion

• Battalion Commander: Sean Walsh, AOH Division #3, Pearl River
• Paramus NJ Ceremonial Honor Guard
• Police Pipes and Drums of Bergen County
• AOH Members Division #3, Pearl River
• The Learning Experience
• North Rockland High School Band
• St. Margaret’s School, Pearl River
• St. Margaret’s Parish and CCD, Pearl River
• Ross School of Irish Dance
• Pearl River Scouts
• Pearl River School of Irish Music
• County Offaly Association
• Pipes and Drums of the Police Emerald Society of Westchester
• Police Emerald Society of Westchester
• Rockland Football Club
• Harmony on the Hudson Ladies Acapella Singing Group
• Inishfree School of Irish Dance

Fifth Battalion

• Battalion Commander: Bobby Fitzsimmons, AOH Division #1, North Rockland
• New York State Court Officers Honor Guard
• New York State Court Pipes and Drums
• AOH Members Division #1, North Rockland
• Respect Life, Inc.
• St. Gregory Barbarigo School, Garnerville
• County Longford
• North Rockland Scouts
• Broesler School of Irish Dance
• St. Paul’s School
• Sword of Light Pipe Band, Local 3, IBEW
• IBEW Local Union 363
• Formation Committee
• Orangetown Highway Department

In Memoriam

On this Saint Patrick’s Day, we remember our fellow committee member, Martin Fogarty. Martin was a past Grand Marshal (1976) and had the honor of being our Aide to the Grand Marshal, New York City, for the first woman Grand Marshal, Dorothy Hayden Cuday, 1989. We salute Martin’s memory and we carry on, as he would have wanted. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam (May he rest in peace.)

Judges

John Foody, Kay Hogan, Martin Hogan, Diane O’Donnell, Mary O’Keeffe and Susan Sheridan

General Committee

• Parade Co-Chairperson - Mary O’Sullivan
• Parade Co-Chairperson – William Lee
• Formation Chairman – Mark Walker
• Secretary – Carmel Reilly
• Treasurer – William Lee
• Awards & Judges Chairperson - Patricia Dwyer
• Arrangements Committee – Jim Russell, Matty Reilly and John J. Foody
• Ball Chairpersons - Patricia and Dan Barry
• Journal Chairman – Vincent D. Tyer III
• Parade Announcers – Michael & Neil O’Sullivan
• National Anthems – Michael J. O’Sullivan

Other Committee Members

Jim McDonnell, Jim Walsh, Tim O’Neill, John Lowry, Helen Murphy, Jim Normoyle, Eileen Beirne, Kevin Donohue, Neil Cosgrove, Lillian

Murphy, Tom Leavey, Bobby Mulholland, Dermot Moore, Joan Moore, Brendan Moore, Ray Sheridan, Cy Hughes, Linda Sheridan, Michael Mulcahy, Don McKallen and Brian Booth

We must remember and support the people of Ireland and especially those individuals in the North of Ireland who strive on a daily basis for Peace, Justice and Unity.

Trophy Donors

• Alice Donaghy Memorial
• Connie & Breda O’Sullivan Memorial
• William A. Dwyer, Jr. Memorial
• Mary Franklin Memorial
• Timmy John O’Riordan Memorial
• Annie A. and James P. Russel Memorial
• Shop Rite Of Pearl River Murty’s
• Publick House Shop
• Rite Of Stony Point
• Luigi O’Grady’s Deli Catering
• O’Malley’s Restaurant and Bar, Nyack, NY

Acknowledgments

The AOH St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee expresses their sincere thanks to the following groups and individuals who helped make this parade possible:

• Hon. C. Scott Vanderhoef, County Executive
• Hon. Andrew Stewart, Orangetown Supervisor and Orangetown Town Board
• Orangetown Parks & Recreation
• Orangetown Highway Department
• Use of their facilities: Pearl River Hook & Ladder Co. #1
• Use of their parking lot: Pfizer Corporaton, Pearl River, N.Y.
• The Ambulance Corps of Orangetown
• Orangetown Paramedics
• Our Town
• Rockland County Times
• Rockland Journal News
• The residents and local businesses of Pearl River, who support our parade
• Special Thanks to the Orangetown Police Department and Auxiliary, New York State Troopers, New York State Park Police, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department, Suffern Police Department, South Nyack/Grandview Police Department, Clarkstown Auxiliary and Ramapo Auxiliary for their cooperation and assistance in the putting on of the Parade.

For Irish Events in and out of Rockland County, check out Rockland County

• AOH County Board, http://www.RocklandCountyAOH.com, LAOH
• County Board http://www.rclaoh.com, AOH Division 3, Pearl River http://www.praoh.org, AOH Division 4, Suffern http://www.suffernaoh.com