February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Officials of the 240th New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade received their sashes and were officially installed as officers at the Roosevelt Hotel on Madison Avenue last week. Parade chairman John Dunleavy promised that this year’s parade will be the biggest and best ever.
Labor leader Edward J. Malloy is the grand marshal. Malloy, who heads the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, said he was honored to be chosen to lead the parade up Fifth Avenue on Saturday, March 17.
"It’s a dream come true for me," the vice president of the New York State AFL-CIO said. "It’s an honor to be chosen and something that every Irish person is proud of."
Dunleavy said Malloy was chosen the 2001 parade’s theme: the labor movement.
The parade is being dedicated to the Fighting 69th regiment of the New York State National Guard, which is marking its 150th anniverary. The parade will also honor all those who served and died in the 1950-53 Korean war.
The St. Patrick’s Medal this year will be presented to former Rep. Tom Manton and the green whistle signaling the start of the parade will be blown by NYPD first deputy commissioner Joseph Dunne.
Sign up to The Irish Echo Newsletter
A reception for the grand marshal will take place March 4 in Antun’s in Queens.