The 2014 Parade will be held on Saturday, March
15, 2014
9:00 am -
The Thornstick Mass in
conjunction with the Elizabeth A.O.H.
St. Patrick's Church, Elizabeth
A welcoming reception in the church hall
after Mass
12:00 Noon - Reviewing Stand Festivities
Morris & Stuyvesant Avenues in Union
The "Kid's Zone" fun for all ages ---
Stuyvesant Ave.(just off Morris
Ave.)
1:00 PM Sharp - The Parade begins
The Marching units gather at Morris Avenue
and along Commerce and
Jeanette Avenues,
the parade route proceeds east along Morris
Avenue to a turn at the
Main Reviewing Stand
and ends at Roosevelt Avenue
Midway Reviewing Stand
Morris and Caldwell Avenues in Union
Parade Announcers with Details of all of
the Participants!
History and Information!
A great place to watch the parade!
Click Here for 2013 Line of March
Here
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Union County St. Patrick's Day
Parade
2013 General Chairwoman
Ms. Kelly Anne Scanlon
Kelly Anne is extremely proud of her Irish lineage, marching in
every Union County St. Patrick's Day Parade since its inception in
1997. She joined the parade committee serving in many positions as
Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, 1st and 2nd Vice
Chairperson and Adjutant in 2010 where she excelled in the organizing,
planning, and staging of what she refers to as "the best St. Patrick's
Day Parade in the state of New Jersey".
One of Kelly Anne's dreams was fulfilled this year when the parade
committee unanimously elected her General Chairwoman, carrying the
distinction of being the youngest person to head that position in the
history of the Union County St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Kelly Anne was born in St. Mary's Hospital in Orange, New Jersey to her
parents Michael and Elizabeth on September 26, 1983. Kelly Anne lived
in Irvington and South Orange, New Jersey before moving to the Township
of Union in 1994 where she currently resides.
Kelly Anne graduated from Union High School in 2001 where she
participated in various clubs and organizations. She also played
basketball and field hockey for four years. Kelly Anne thrived and
lettered in both sports earning All-County Honors for Field Hockey in
her senior year. Kelly Anne also studied and performed Irish Step
Dancing under the tutelage of the late Greta Sheridan. She also won the
prestigious "Scholar Athlete Award" from the Irish American Society of
Union in 2001. Kelly Anne attended Berkeley College, studying Business
Administration and is currently employed by the Township of Union
Department of Public Works Administrative Office.
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Union County St. Patrick's Day
Parade
2013 Grand Marshal
Jim Tansey
Jim Tansey is the son of the late Beatrice T.
Tansey (nee
Melody) and the late James P. Tansey. He grew up in the Vailsburg
section of Newark
with his five
brothers and sisters; Ellen, Patrick, Maureen, Terry, and Owen as well
as his
cousin Mary Murphy. They were raised in the proud Irish tradition of
God,
Family and Country. His father was a Newark Police Officer and his
mother was
an Essex County Sheriff’s Officer.
Jim is the father of three wonderful
children; Bridget is
23, Owen is 17, and Grace is 15. All three kids have been to Ireland numerous times and truly
believe that
their ancestors once inhabited Roscommon Castle.
The kids are the
focus of Jim’s life and he hopes to pass on to them the same
Irish values and
traditions his parents imparted to him. He could not be more proud of
his kids.
Jim’s traces his Irish roots to
Counties Roscommon and Mayo.
All of his grandparents were born and raised in the heart of Connaught
in the
west of Ireland.
He regularly visits his cousins the
O’Gara’s, who now reside
in Roscommon
Town, and the
Farrell’s who are in
Frenchpark.
Jim’s children have fond memories of
running around O’Gara’s
Royal Hotel and driving the tractors on the Farrell’s farm. Jim
owns a house in
the Town of Ballinlough, County Roscommon.
Currently, Jim is the supervisor of the
Special Prosecutions
Unit in the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. A former New York
City Police
Officer, he is a graduate of Rutgers Law
School.
He is also the owner of Responsive Automotive Systems, a company he
started
that now deals with over 500 new car dealerships nationwide.
Being very active in the Irish American
community, Jim is
the recipient of numerous awards for both his work in law enforcement
and for
expertise in his field of business.
A piper for more than 20 years, he was the
band manager for
The Essex County Emerald Society Police and Fire Pipe and Drum Band for
many
years. His band continues to carry on the proud Irish tradition of
piping but
has always remained true to its original and primary purpose that no
police
officer or firefighter killed in the line of duty should be laid to
rest
without the honor and tribute of pipes and drums.
In the wake of 9/11, the band played at more
than 50
funerals and memorials for police officers and firefighters who gave
their
lives on that fateful day. Jim is proud to be associated with this
group of
strong Irish cops and firemen.
Jim served for four years as a Trustee on the
Union County
St Patrick’s Day Parade Committee. He has also served as a
Division Adjutant.
Jim’s late sister, Terry, had a
division of the parade named
in her honor as did Jim’s late uncle, Battalion Chief Thomas
Melody of the
Newark Fire Department.
Jim was the 2004 honoree of the Cryan
Association held at
his grammar school alma mater, Sacred Heart in Vailsburg. In 2006 Jim
was named
the Irishman of the Year by the Roscommon Society of New York.
He was the recipient of the 2009 James Keefe
Distinguished
Service Award from the Union County Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick for
his
service to the citizens of Union County.
He has been
recognized on many occasions by the Union County Board of Chosen
Freeholders as
well the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly for his contributions
and
efforts in relation to the New Jersey Irish community.
He has also received two Certificates of
Recognition for his
service to the community from The United States Congress.
Jim is honored to have been selected as the
Grand Marshal
for the 2013 Union County Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. He
dedicates this honor
to the memory of the deceased members of his immediate and extended
family who
were all proud Irish Americans. He looks forward to walking down Morris Ave
on March
16th and carrying on the proud tradition created and
maintained by
the prior Grand Marshals of this great parade.
The parade will step off at 1 p.m. sharp on Saturday, March 16, 2013 on
Morris Avenue in Union.
For more information, visit www.unioncountystpatricksdayparade.com
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The
2013 Union County St. Patrick's Day Parade
is dedicated to all of those who have been touched by Parkinson's
Disease
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A Look Back at 15 years of Union
County St Patrick's Day Parade
http://www.blip.tv/file/4748706
