Labor leader Callahan is 2020 NY Parade Grand Marshal

James T. Callahan

By Ray O’Hanlon

Labor leader James T. Callahan will lead the 2020 New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade up Fifth Avenue as its grand marshal.

The announcement was contained in a press release Thursday from the parade board of directors.

Callahan lives on Long Island with his wife Fran and their children. He is General President of the International Union of Operating Engineers.

He was the Irish Echo’s Labor Leader award winner in the paper’s 2015 Labor Awards event held in Manhattan.

Mr. Callahan, whose grandparents hailed from counties Limerick and Kerry, will again be honored in Manhattan next March, this time along its most famous thoroughfare and as leader of the 259^th parade celebrating St. Patrick, Irish heritage and culture.

As general president of the IUOE, Mr. Callahan represents over 400,000 workers in the United States and Canada. He is also president of the New York Friends of Ireland.

Sean Lane, chairman of the parade board of directors, said: “We are delighted James Callahan has been selected as our 2020 Grand Marshal.

“He has contributed so much to the United States and New York. As a major union leader, he is representative of many of the hard-working Irish who immigrated to here in search of a better life. Our community has a strong tradition of union pride and he will make an outstanding and popular grand marshal.”