25

T h e S t . P a t r i c k ’s D a y P a r a d e C o m m i t t e e , I n c . T h e Q u i n n i p i a c U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s

c e l e b r a t i n g 2 5 0 y e a r s o f t h en e w y o r k c i t y s t . p a t r i c k ' s d a y p a r a d e

w r i t t e n b y J o h n T . R i d g e & e d i t e d b y L y n n M o s h e r B u s h n e l l

StPats_IA_supplement_v06_rev01_Layout 1 1/11/11 5:23 PM Page 1

An American landmark will be reached in2011, when New York City celebrates the250th anniversary of its St. Patrick’s DayParade. The first parade was held on March17, 1762, fourteen years before the signing ofthe Declaration of Independence.

That heritage is uniquely presented inCelebrating 250 Years of the New York City St.Patrick's Day Parade, written by noted his-tor ian John T. Ridge and edited by LynnMosher Bushnell. This beautiful book, pub-lished by Quinnipiac University Press, paysheartfelt tr ibute to the Irish in America,descendants of the seven million who emi-grated from Ireland over three centuries. Theannual parade reflects their strength, theirspirit, and their passion and contributes to thespecial character of New York City.

Through moving narative, Celebrating 250Years of the New York City St. Patrick's Day

Parade explores the past, present and future ofIrish-American heritage in a vivid portrait ofthe nation’s longest-running parade.

Drawing from New York’s most pre-cious photographic archives, editor LynnMosher Bushnell has assembled a visualhistory of the parade that unfolds page bypage with hundreds of rare and extraordi-nary photographs.

Held each year to honor Patr ick, thePatron Saint of Ireland, the parade also honorsthe Archdiocese of New York by celebrating aproud legacy of Irish faith and heritage. Thisyear the parade will again be reviewed fromthe steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral by Arch-bishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, a tradi-tion dating from earlier days at the Old St.Patrick's Cathedral in Lower Manhattan.

In 2011, as in all 249 previous years, theparade will be organized by volunteers from

StPats_IA_supplement_v06_rev01_Layout 1 1/11/11 5:24 PM Page 2

the community and the Ancient Order ofHibernians under the careful stewardship ofthe St. Patrick’s Parade Committee guided byChairman-Director John T. Dunleavy.Thisyear the Grand Marshal of this historic paradeis best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark.

“Recognizing the 250th Anniversary ofthe New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade isa momentous occasion worthy of great joyand celebration,” says Mr. Dunleavy. “Bypublishing this signature book along withQuinnipiac University Press, we strive topreserve the history of the parade and thememory of all the wonderful years for futuregenerations to enjoy and remember. Onbehalf of the parade committee, our affiliatedorganizations, sponsors and supporters, wehope you enjoy this publication and all thatit represents in our proud 250-year historyof marching on the streets of New York.”

“A book that is sure to be treasured by your

family for ge nerations to come… Now

for the first time, you too can enjoy this

wonderful keepsake of all those memo-

rable parades through the decades.”

Best-selling author, Mary Higgins Clark2011 Parade Grand Marshal

The New York City St. Patrick’s Day Paradeworkers and committee members are vol-unteers. Some members and their familieshave helped run the parade for several gen-erations. All take great pride in the workwhile encouraging others of Irish heritageand descent to join them in organizing andrunning the world’s largest parade.

In a recent message Mary McAleese,President of Ireland, said, “Every year on the17th of March, we in Ireland come togetherwith our extended family around the worldto honor our patron saint and to celebrate allthe attributes that made us proud to be Irish.It gives us immense pleasure and delight tosee so many celebrations of our culture andtraditions taking place across the globe. Ourconnection to New York and the St. Patrick’sDay Parade in that city is a particularly strongand special one.”

StPats_IA_supplement_v06_rev01_Layout 1 1/11/11 5:24 PM Page 3

JOHN T. RIDGE has been attending St.Patrick’s Day Parades since the 1950swhen his immigrant Irish parents firsttook him to watch the spectacle on FifthAvneue. For more than 40 years he hasbeen a regular marcher in the ranks andat the same time a careful observer ofthe parade’s struggles and triumphs in

an era of major challenges. As historian for the parade com-mittee, Ridge has combined his insider’s view with the years ofresearch in libraries and archives to bring to life a unique pictureof New York’s parade.

LYNN MOSHER BUSHNELLhas marched in the storied NewYork City St. Patrick’s DayParade under the QuinnipiaceUniversity banner for nearly 20years. Quinnipiac University ishome to An Gorta Mór, the world’slargest collection of art and litera-

ture devoted exclusively to Ireland’s Great Hunger. Theextensive sculpture collection and other rare holdingsmay be viewed on the Quinnipiac University campus or online at www.thegreathunger.org.

O n S a l e N o wLook for us at selected bookstores.

Order on our website, www.250yearsparadebook.com

Purchase by check or money order through Quinnipiac University Press

at (203) 582-8655 or Jayne.Young@quinnipiac.edu

$ 4 9 . 9 5

Don’t let the

P A R A D E P a s s y o u b y

StPats_IA_supplement_v06_rev01_Layout 1 1/11/11 5:24 PM Page 4