Wednesday’s event will include traditional music and presentations of citations from the County Executive for honorees from throughout Hudson County.
County Executive Tom DeGise will honor a bevy of proud sons and daughters of St. Patrick from throughout Hudson County at the County’s Annual Irish Flag Raising, to be held in the rotunda of the historic William J. Brennan Court House (583 Newark Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07306) this Wednesday evening (3/1) at 5pm.
Traditional bagpipe music and a performance by the Keri Smith Academy of Irish Dance will highlight this event, celebrating Irish-American’s contribution to Hudson County in advance of St. Patrick’s Day. Fr. Brian Emerson Page will conduct the invocation and benediction. Honorees of St. Patrick’s Day Parade committees from throughout the County will receive citations from the County Executive, who is half-Irish.
“I’m always pleased to take part in this annual celebration of Irish heritage, one I proudly share—on my mother’s side—with our honorees from across Hudson County,†said County Executive DeGise. “I know it will be a wonderful event.â€
The County Executive’s Chief of Staff, Craig Guy, will receive a citation this year, for being selected Grand Marshal of the Jersey City St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
“I’m so thankful for this honor,†said Chief of Staff Guy. “It will mean even more receiving my citation from the County Executive, who I have been so proud to serve the people of Hudson County with for more than twenty years. My thanks of course also to our Jersey City St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, and our fantastic Committee Chairperson, Maureen Hulings.â€
Here is a list of the citation recipients, by municipality:
BAYONNE:
Bridget Antczak – Parade Chair, Bayonne St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee; Gabrielle Figueroa, Parade Coordinator and Grand Marshal; Aide to the Grand Marshal for the County Donegal Association; Melanie McBride; Aide to the Grand Marshal for the Irish American League Patrick Donovan; Aide to the Grand Marshal for the Shamrock Society, Mary Ellen (Calverley) Page; Aide to the Grand Marshal for the County Corkmen’s Association, Allison Conway; Irish American League’s Irishwoman of the Year, Jennifer Shea Tarantino; Irish American League’s Irish Business Owner, Rosemary (Donovan) Kellner; Irish American League’s Irish Educator of the Year, Colleen Byrne; 2023 Mary from Dungloe,  Shannon Neary.
HOBOKEN:
Irishwoman of the Year – Linda Milne; Irishman of the Year- Joseph Caufield; Irish Police Officer of the Year – Connor Milne; Irish Educator of the Year – Michelle McGreivey; Honorary Irishman of the Year – James Farina; Honorary Irishwoman of the Year – Nora Debenedetto; Irish Business of the Year – Paul Dawson of Mulligans Pub; Irish Senior of the Year – Noreen Stapleton.
JERSEY CITY:
Maureen Killeen Hulings – Chairwoman, Jersey City St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee; Grand Marshal – Craig Guy; Irishwoman of the Year – Kim Scalcione; Irishman of the Year – Sean Patrick O’Leary; Irish Police Officer – Sgt. Gary Griffin; Irish Firefighter – Deputy Chief Bill McClintock; Irish EMT – Edana RahbariI; Irish Educator – Terry Matthews; Honorary Irishwoman – Joyce Watterman; Honorary Irishman – Joe Cunha; Miss Colleen – Juliana Peters.
WEST HUDSON
Kevin Quinn – President, United Irish of West Hudson; Grand Marshal – Jimmy “Lucky” Lawless; Deputy Grand Marshals – Marybeth Kennedy & Lisa Steiner Schalago.