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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Laura Colgan

Tanaiste Micheal Martin flies the Irish flag at New York St Patrick's day parade

Tanaiste Micheal Martin brought 40 shades of green to New York as he marched in the city's St Patrick's Day parade earlier.

He joined New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Consul General Helena Nolan and set off from Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Grand Marshal Kevin J Conway, an Irish American who works for a global private equity firm, led the parade with 14 aides from East 44th Street to East 79th Street from 11am.

Read More: Parade-goers in stitches as Enoch Burke floats appear all over country

More than a quarter of a million people took part in the New York City parade, including marching bands, bagpipers and high-school bands from both the US and all over the world.

Among those taking part in the parade were the Emerald Society pipe band of the NYPD officers and the Irish Arts Center.

Members of New York City Fire Department, the US military and visiting gardai also took part.

The Kilkenny Association, the County Fermanagh Association of New York and the County Roscommon Society of New York also marched along the route.

No floats, displays or dancing groups were permitted in the New York City parade and all participants had to have both Irish and American flags or none at all.

The spectacle lasted five hours and drew in around two million spectators.

It was the second St Patrick's Day parade to take place in New York since the Covid-19 crisis.

Tanaiste of Ireland, Micheal Martin and Attorney General of New York, Letitia James at the St. Patrick's Day Parade, New York, USA (Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock)

Among the parade's spectators was four-month-old Seamus Carroll, whose ancestors are from Co Mayo.

Baby Seamus and his mum Hannah Sullivan Carroll met the Tanaiste before the parade took off.

New York City's St Patrick's Day parade is a long-running tradition that was first held in 1762 - 14 years before the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence.

In line with tradition, Mr Martin had breakfast with Mayor of New York Eric Adams at Gracie Mansion yesterday morning.

He then attended mass at St Patrick's Cathedral before setting out on the parade.

Mr Martin also attended a Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland concert at Carnegie Hall.

The show Ancora was performed by over 130 young musicians from across Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Mr Martin said: “St Patrick’s Day is a special celebration for Irish people and friends of Ireland all around the world.

"It is an opportunity to celebrate the best of Ireland – the best of who we are.

“St Patrick’s Day is a special day for the 70 million strong Irish diaspora all around the world who bring energy, strength and dynamism to their communities and who are wonderful representatives of Ireland."

Mr Martin travels to Boston tomorrow to conclude his St Patrick's Day visit to the United States.

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