Mineola was infused with the luck of the Irish a wee bit early this past Sunday, as the Irish American Society held its 66th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, an event that had the streets running green with Irish pride as the community turned out in droves to wave and cheer on the marchers.
Jeff Clark, chief of the Mineola Fire Department and parade chairman, noted that despite St. Patrick’s Day being on March 17, the Irish American Society traditionally holds their parade on the first Sunday of March every year to avoid the hustle and bustle that tends to surface around the holiday itself. “It’s what we’ve always done, and people are used to the date and the time,” he said. “We like to keep things consistent so that people can make plans and join us every year.”
After a mass and breakfast was held at 10:30 a.m. in the Irish American Center at 297 Willis Ave., the parade kicked in at 1 p.m. at the intersection of Court House Drive and County Seat Drive. From there, the festive gathering—made up of more than 500 participants—made their way through the streets of Mineola and finally ended up back at the Irish American Center at the end of the route.
“We have everyone marching…the fire department, schoolchildren from Mineola and Garden City, including the Mineola High School band and the Chaminade pipe band,” Clark said. “We also have the Girl and Boy Scouts, veterans, the Emerald Society, and the Cosmos pro soccer team, who will marching with us for the first time this year.”
Elaine Duffy, an admitted green-blooded Irishwoman, stood at the parade sidelines along Old Country Road enthusiastically holding a “KISS ME I’M IRISH” sign.
“I’ve lived in Mineola for eight years, and I’ve never missed the parade,” she said. “It’s a wonderful feeling, turning out bright and early, and everyone feeling the Irish spirit.”
Clark noted that this event is important to anyone of Irish blood, as Saint Patrick—who served as an ordained bishop and performed much good work throughout the lands of Ireland in the fifth century—is a revered figure in Irish lore.
“Saint Patrick is our patron saint, and it’s very important to the Irish people to commemorate and remember him every year for what he did for Ireland, and we do that through the parade,” he said. “The parade is a great way to bring people together and introduce them to Saint Patrick and the Irish American Society and all the things that go on here.”
However, the parade’s conclusion didn’t signal the end of the good times; indeed, they were just beginning, as the Irish American Center then hosted an open house that was open to the entire community. Featuring Irish music, food, and dancing, the event was an exciting celebration of rich Irish culture and heritage, said attendee and Mineola resident Thomas Reale.
“You just can’t beat the Irish when it comes to having a good time,” he said. “Every year the Irish American Center puts on a great show for the locals, and this great open house really brings out the Irish in you…even if you’re Italian!”
