By Paddy McCarthy
Happy New Year to you all and may you have a healthy and prosperous 2024, I hope all your dreams will come true with lots of success and happiness.
How was my Christmas? Very nice I may say as we visited my son James at his house in Springfield, Massachusetts. We went with presents for his two lovely daughters Mila and Parker, who you might have seen on the front cover of our Christmas issue.
I went there with my wife Patti and my sister-in-law Stephanie as Santa was coming with lots of presents. It was a nice trip up for two days as the weather was perfect. The kids were so excited that Santa Claus came and they were busy opening all their presents with not a care in the world, and they did not mind about the snow not coming.
We took the Ferry from Port Jefferson across to Bridgeport, Connecticut and then drove up to Springfield which was about a two-hour drive, it wasn’t too bad as traffic was very light on the road and we were in no hurry. Ah, I do love Christmas as there is something magical about it, remembering when we were kids ourselves back in Ireland waiting for Santa Clause to bring us some toys, not much at the time, but we were so happy no matter what we got as we were all so innocent and so happy at having a Christmas dinner, all ten of us, now that was some fun, ha ha.
Now back to the news I am sure you’d all like to know as we are coming to one of the biggest times of 2024 and boy am I so excited about it all. Here goes: The St. Patrick’s Day Parade Board of Directors and the Parade Affiliate Organizations announced 17 distinguished Irish Americans who will serve as Aides to the Grand Marshal, Maggie Timoney for the 2024 parade. Aides to the Grand Marshal are chosen annually by the Parade’s participating organizations in recognition of their outstanding service to the Irish American Community of New York. The selection of an Aide is acknowledgement of years of unselfish, dedicated, and distinguished service to the New York and Irish communities and for their contribution to Irish faith, culture and heritage.
“The Board of Directors thanks the affiliate organizations for selecting such a wonderful dedicated and distinguished group of Irish Americans,” said Parade Chairman Sean Lane. “They will join our Grand Marshal, Maggie Timoney, the fifth woman in history to lead the parade past St. Patrick’s Cathedral and up Fifth Avenue on Saturday, March 16, 2024.”
“What an unbelievable selection of spectacular Irish Americans we have this year. They are so representative of the community and what the parade stands for” said Hilary Beirne as he introduced the Aides at the Parade delegate’s meeting.
“This year we have a priest, an Inspector from the NYPD, a Lieutenant from the Fire Department, the leader of the Port Authority Police Department, a well-known real estate broker in New York City, the Chief Financial Officer of the Archdiocese of New York, a well-known Irish radio host and community leader, the President of the United Irish counties Association of NY” he continued.
The Aides to the Grand Marshal for the 2024 St. Patrick’s Day Parade are: Grand Council of United Emerald Societies Aide: Edward T. Cetnar, Orange County Aide: Don Higgins, NYPD Aide: William J. Gallagher, United Irish Counties Aide: Michael O’Reilly, Rockland County Aide: Sean Michael Walsh, Knights of St Patrick Aide: Sheila Clancy McCarthy, Kings County Aide: Joann Gunderson, Bronx County Aide: Jack McCarrick, Suffolk County Aide: Father Henry Reid, Queens County Aide: Bridget Rush-Hernandez, Archdiocese of New York Aide: William Whiston, Richmond County Aide: Yvonne Sheehan, Nassau County Aide: Paul Doud, Westchester County Aide: Margaret “Peggy” Flynn, Aide At Large: Treasa Goodwin Smyth and FDNY Aide: Lt Jack Marra.
The 2024 Grand Marshal Maggie Timoney is President & CEO of HEINEKEN USA based in White Plains, New York. During her 20+ year tenure with the HEINEKEN Group in the US, Netherlands, Canada and Ireland, Maggie has been recognized for being a transformational leader as demonstrated through her results at a P&L level combined with a high impact in both cultural and social change. Prior to joining HEINEKEN, she worked for Gallo and Anheuser-Busch.
Throughout her career, Maggie continues to blaze the trail as a senior female executive in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Today, she is the first woman to serve as chief executive of a major beer company in the US. Maggie received both her BA and MBA at Iona University. During her time there, she was a standout player on the women’s basketball team. She often credits her time spent on the court for helping shape her leadership skills.
A native of Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland, Maggie currently resides in Connecticut with her husband Glen and their two children.
Maggie and her Aides will lead the approximate 200,000 marchers up Fifth Avenue in the 263rd New York City’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade on March 16, 2024.
The New York City St Patrick’s Day 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 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.
This came to me from one of Ireland’s Showband legends who I know very well, Art Supple from The Victors Showband. It’s a big showband event that’s happening in Galway that you might want to put on your bucket list for March 4th and 5th, 2024.
Check out the ad on page 21 where you can see all the showband stars that will be appearing on both nights. There is now a package deal available from the Clayton Hotel in Galway for the Michael Commins Concert Shows in association with Tom Kelly Promotions, where you can get the following deals: €309.00 for a single room, two nights B&B and one dinner plus two tickets or €532.00 per couple sharing in a double/twin room, two nights B&B and one dinner plus four tickets. You make your reservations now on 091 721900. This is a deal you don’t want to miss!
For tickets only call the hotel reception on 091 721900 or you can purchase from www.ticketmaster.ie, Quinn’s shop in Tuam or from Patsy on 086 1551841.
Now get on your bike and book your flights as this is going to be a super couple of days, I will try and make it myself as it is going to be a blast and all the information is right here for you to go.
Happy New Year to all our readers, friends and of course our sponsors as it’s you who help us make it happen each year. I hope to see you all again in the new year when I am Out&About once more.