Mineola will look a bit greener Sunday, March 6, as the Irish American Society holds their annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
This is the society’s 66th year holding the parade and the fourth time it’s being held in Mineola.
“It’s just amazing being able to show your Irish roots and heritage is very important to us,” said Betty McLoughlin, president of the Irish American Society.
This year’s parade will pay a special homage to the 100-year anniversary of the Easter Uprising, a rebellion against the British government in Ireland. The parade route will include a special detour by the Irish Monument located south of the County Court House at Court House Drive in Mineola.
Several local organizations, including school bands and Scout troops, will be participating in the parade, which will be led by grand marshal Patrick Kearney. He will be escorted by four aides, Eamonn Lennon, Claire McKenna, Dolores Casey and Mayor Scott Strauss.
The parade festivities kick off with a mass at the Irish American Society, 297 Willis Ave., Mineola at 10 a.m. The mass will be conducted by the society’s chaplain, and will be followed by a continental breakfast. The parade will begin at the corner of Supreme Court Drive and County Seat Drive at 1 p.m., and go west on Old Country Road to Mineola Boulevard and north to Jericho Turnpike, ending at the Irish American Society center. At the center, guests can enjoy Irish step dancing, as well as buy corned beef and cabbage, hot dogs and hamburgers. Admission to the after-parade festivities are $5.
The parade is just one of the many activities that the Irish American Society has planned for the year. The active center often holds cultural events and has a full calendar, which can be found on their website, www.irishamericansoc.com.
“We do a lot of Irish cultural events. It’s a place for people to come and share their stories,” said McLoughlin. “The center is a great place to meet friends and it’s a wonderful place.”
