Seventy-two years of tradition continued Sunday at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Mineola, organized by the Irish-American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens. 

“It felt great, you want to keep things like that going,” said John Doyle, vice chair of the parade committee for the society.

Sunday’s festivities included a mile-long route that began at the court complex and ended at the intersection of Jericho Turnpike and Willis Avenue. Sixty-six groups and organizations participated, including bagpipers, first responders and Irish dancers. Village, town and county officials, including Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, were present. 

Brigid McNulty, a member of the society’s board of directors, was named grand marshal following a vote and was joined by four aides, including Kathleen Bory, Ciara Lennon, Stephan McKenna and Town of North Hempstead Councilman Dennis Walsh. 

Tony Jackson was the parade’s master of ceremonies and announced the participating groups along the route from a grandstand. 

After the festivities concluded around 3 p.m., a celebration was held at the society’s headquarters on Willis Avenue, where guests enjoyed food and refreshments, including corned beef sandwiches. 

“The whole day was very crowded,” Doyle said. “It was very nice to see.”

Given that the parade is usually held on the first Sunday in March, the Mineola parade was one of the last full-scale events before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Although there was no official parade in 2021, members committed to the tradition walked along the route.

“It was a group of us and we didn’t invite any groups or any bands,” Doyle said. “We were all masked up and marched along the route.”

He said the society has plans for St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.  Two buses will transport members from Mineola to New York City to march in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade on Fifth Avenue. 

“It’s going to be a big day,” Doyle said. “And an even bigger celebration.”