By Irish Echo Staff
The Eastchester Irish American Social Club is readying for the Westchester County community's 9th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday March 10.
This celebration has become a tradition and a source of pride and enjoyment for Eastchester and its surrounding area residents, said the EIASC in a release.
The group announced that this year's grand marshal will be David Flannery, with Jean McCluskey and Breda Travers the parade honorees.
A native of Clonmel, County Tipperary, Flannery helped spearhead the inaugural Eastchester parade in 2004.
"I was seeing an influx of Irish people and I wanted to demonstrate our presence here," he said.
Aside from being the club's current treasurer, Flannery is also a contractor and owns a hardware store in the Bronx. For his aides, he has chosen his 15-year-old son, Jack, and long-time friend, Tom Cascione.
Honoree Jean McCluskey was born in Dublin and moved to Eastchester when she immigrated in 1978. She went on to work for the Irish Tourism Board and is presently its marketing director.
Professor Breda Travers came to Eastchester from Limerick.
"I joined (EIASC) because I was looking to share culture with other Irish people and wanted to raise my kids with heritage," Travers said.
An official sash presentation to the grand marshal and honorees was held recently at J.C. Fogarty's Town Tavern in Bronxville.
Stephen Huvane, public relations co-chair for EIASC, said the parade will stp off at 3 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church in Tuckahoe and proceed north on Route 22 to the Lake Isle Country Club.
The parade, he said, incorporates local schools and organizations and this year will feature ten pipe bands, seven brass marching bands and many other groups, including the police and fire Departments, veteran and active military, and antique cars.
The Eastchester Irish American Social Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1966 and consisting of members from Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Bronxville and Crestwood who are of Irish descent. more details at www.eastchesterirish.org.
