By Paddy McCarthy
This week’s Out&About is dedicated to a gentleman who deserves to be sitting at the right hand side of the man himself, Our Lord God and probably is by now.
I am so saddened on the passing of John Dunleavy, former Chairman of the New York City St Patrick’s Day Parade Committee. We have lost a great friend and supporter of everything Irish, Irish American and the Parade. John was a man of many talents as demonstrated by his lifelong dedication to the New York City St Patrick’s Day Parade, of which he served 22 years as Chairman. We will miss him!
He was one of the best entrepreneurs that I have ever seen in the way he worked with the New York Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. What he did when he was the Chairman, with the team he had around him was unbelievable and they accomplished so much.
I saw him operate so many times that I forget and boy he knew everybody’s names when you greeted him or he greeted you, it was unbelievable again I have to say.
He lived and loved every minute of the Parade 24/7 from the time the preparations began for the next one he was all action and nothing could stop him until all was right with the biggest Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the world and everything finished on the right note.
He was a perfectionist in every way from the marching bands from all over, the Irish Counties representing Ireland, fire and police departments from all over America and Ireland, United States Army and veterans, government dignitaries from the USA and Ireland, colleges and schools performing and leading each individual county’s groups.
His top priority of course was the Grand Marshal and their aides and guests to make sure that all was in place. Even I writing here in my Out&About probably forgot somebody, if I did, please forgive me as John would never have. But as we have to say, the show still has to go on and the team that are now in charge know they have big shoes to fill and I am sure John is checking that everything is going according to plan and I am sure it will.
Oh, I nearly forgot the organizing of the Mass in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and keeping the Cardinal up to date with the progress and the seating arrangements at the Church on Saint Patrick’s morning, boy is that a lot of work or what? Wow.
Again John had, and the Parade still has a very professional team that will always keep the flag flying and I know that they will as they all deserve a great thank you from all the Irish and Irish Americans because we are all so proud of you all and that is what John would also want.
This came to me from the man that has filled John’s shoes and was also his lieutenant for many years, yes of course, Hilary Beirne. Now of course, you have the current Chairman of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Sean Lane whose proven time and time again that the Parade is in good hands.
John Dunleavy was born in Coole, Co. Westmeath in 1938 and attended the Coole National School.
In 1956, John emigrated to London and worked as a driver of double-decker buses. In 1963, Dunleavy came to the United States and just three months later he was inducted into the United States army, assigned to the 65th Engineer Battalion, 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.
Upon his discharge, he joined the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority (MABSTOA), a subsidiary of the New York Transit Authority, as a bus operator. John Dunleavy retired from the transit system after 25 years of service in 1990 as a General Superintendent.
John Dunleavy was a past President of New York AOH County Board and Division 9 AOH NY County.
An active member of the New York Saint Patrick’s Day Parade & Celebration Committee since 1967, John Dunleavy held many offices, including formation chairman, treasurer, and vice chairman before taking over as Chairman in 1993.
John Dunleavy was as an Honorary Member of the “The Fighting 69th”, Regiment.
In retirement John ran a small landscaping and gardening business, and was a founding member of “The Links” golf course at Unionvale.
That man never stopped working and that is why he was our leader for many years, Rest in Peace.
Please remember his wife Maureen Kellett, and his two daughters, Patricia and Catherine, and five grandchildren. Keep his family in your prayers at this sad time, as we here also at The Irish Examiner USA send our condolences to his family. We will miss John as he was called up by the man upstairs, I’m sure for a little bit of help, John would love that.
Hope to see you all again next week when I am Out&About again…