New York Parade Announces Grand Marshal For Its 251st Parade

The New York St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee announced the selection of the Grand Marshal for the 2012 New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade at an event held at the Irish Consulate in New York on Monday.

Next year's Grand Marshal will be media expert Francis X. Comerford, Chief Revenue Officer and President of Operations for NBC owned television stations.

Francis X. Comerford will have the honor of leading the 251st consecutive New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade up Fifth Avenue on Saturday, March 17, 2012.

Frank Comerford was born and raised in Brooklyn and traces his Irish ancestry to County Kilkenny.

He is active in community affairs and has received numerous honors from many organizations recognizing his lifelong endeavors.

The New York St. Patrick's Parade is the world's oldest and largest civic parade and celebrates "The Faith of Ireland, Irish heritage and Culture".

John Dunleavy, Chairman of the Parade, said "We are delighted Frank has been selected as the 2012 Grand Marshal.

"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 this great country.

"He has been instrumental in raising the profile of the Parade across the world through the media of television and the web.

"Indeed the Parade viewership has increased dramatically in recent years largely due to initiates supported by him and NBC.

"We are delighted he has accepted the honor to lead us on March 17th and we look forward to a wonderful day celebrating our Irish heritage with Frank at the helm."

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.