More St. Patrick's Day Revelry Around Town

(Jim Kiernan on Flickr)

« PREVIOUS

Yesterday's big St. Patrick's Day Parade attracted tens of thousands. There were big cheers for the Fighting 69th National Guard soldiers who led the parade after serving a year in Afghanistan. First Lt. Faisal Reza, 24, of the Bronx, told the Daily News, "It felt like I finally came home. Today I felt welcomed because it seemed like all of New York came out to welcome us back."

Mayor Bloomberg, who attended mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, and other officials were in the parade as well. The economic crisis was alluded to during the day, but it wasn't an obstacle to celebrating the Irish spirit. A Bay Ridge woman who lost her job two months ago said to the Post, "I don't have a job but my grandfather would turn over in his grave if I didn't come to the parade and have a couple of pints."

Unfortunately, there was sadness along the route: Bronx resident Steve Dunne, 59, a retired state court officer, collapsed on 75th Street while marching with the Police Pipes and Drums of Bergen County, NJ. Dunne died at St. Luke's.