Top Cop Ray Kelly to lead 2010 NYC St. Patrick's Parade

THE 2010 GRAND MARSHAL OF NYC ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE HAS ROSCOMMON AND LONGFORD HERITAGE

NEW YORK, NY - Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

The New York City St Patrick’s Day Parade Committee is pleased to announce that the Grand Marshal of the 249th NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade will be The Honorable Raymond W. Kelly, Police Commissioner of the City of New York.

“Commissioner Kelly traces his Irish heritage to the West of Ireland, to the counties of Roscommon and Longford," said Hilary Beirne, executive secretary and web master for the Parade Committee.

“We are delighted that Commissioner Kelly will proudly lead the Irish American community up Fifth Avenue on Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 for the 249th consecutive St Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City," Beirne said.

Parade ChairmanJohn Dunleavy said “We are truly delighted that Commissioner Kelly has been unanimously selected as the 2010 Grand Marshal. He is a man who is beloved in the Irish-American community and in the United States. He is an outstanding Irish American who has devoted a huge amount of his considerable energy and charisma to building enduring and durable ties between America on the one hand and Ireland and the rest of the world on the other. We know that his selection as Grand Marshal will be a widely popular one.”

The march up Fifth Avenue is the world’s oldest and largest civic Parade. It celebrates “The Faith of Ireland, Irish heritage and Culture”. The New York City St. Patrick’s Parade began in 1762, fourteen years before the Declaration of Independence was signed in Independence Hall, Philadelphia. The Parade is regarded as the most popular of all marches in New York City, and honors Saint Patrick - the patron Saint of the Archdiocese of New York and of Ireland. The event consists only of marchers. Each year it involves some 250,000 participants and two million spectators. The Parade has many great marching bands, bagpipers, and high-school and college bands from throughout the United States and from all over the world.

“We not only televise the Parade, but also webcast it live over the internet,” said Hilary Beirne. “The web casting enables everyone in Ireland to watch their friends and family here in New York march up Fifth Avenue after all of the local Parades”, Beirne said. “Indeed, the viewership of the webcast will most likely out pace television viewership next year, with over 50,000 logging on this past March 17th. A number we except to increase dramatically this coming year.”

The Parade is webcast through the Parade’s web site at NYCStPatricksParade.Org and NBC’s web site at www.wnbc.com.

For additional information regarding the 2010 Grand Marshal and pre - Parade events, contact Hilary Beirne at the Parade Office or visit the NYC St Patrick’s Day Parade web site at NYCStPatricksParade.Org.


Press Contacts
Hilary Beirne
Parade Executive Secretary and Web Master
PO Box 295 Woodlawn Station,
Woodlawn, NY 10470
718-231-4400/ 914-833-8363
E-mail: HBeirne@NYC-St-Patrick-Day-Parade.Org
Web Site: http://NYCStPatricksParade.Org