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UH, FOR JOSEPH MCGONAGAL, THANK FOR LEADING THE PROTECTION.
I AM ESSEX COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT WAYNE RICHARDSON.
AND TONIGHT I AM HAPPY TO WELCOME YOU TO THE BOARDS 2023 SALUTE TO THE IRISH, OUR CELEBRATION.
THIS IS AN EVENT THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO EACH YEAR.
IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE DIVERSITY OF ESSEX COUNTY, WHICH IS OUR STRENGTH, WHILE COMMEMORATING THE STRONG IRISH HERITAGE PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
SO MANY IRISH LABORERS SETTLED NORTH OF NEWARK IN THE 1760S THAT THE AREA WAS CALLED IRISHTOWN.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER THAT, YOU BETTER
SO THE IRISH CERTAINLY HAVE WOVEN THEIR RICH CULTURE AND STRONG TRADITIONS INTO THE BEAUTIFUL PATTERN OF ESSEX COUNTY.
MORE THAN 15% OF JERSEY RESIDENTS CLAIM AT LEAST PARTIAL IRIS ANCESTRY, WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM A COUPLE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT.
PAT PATRICK'S DAY PARADES, NEWARK NUTLEY, AND WEST ORANGE, AS WELL AS THEIR PARADE COMMITTEES, CHAIRS, GRAND MARSHALS, DEPUTY GRAND MARSHALLS, AND SPECIAL HONOREES.
EACH OF TONIGHT'S HONOREES ARE PROPELLED BY THEIR LOVE FOR ALL THINGS IRISH AND BRING THE IRISH SPIRIT CULTURE AND TRADITIONS INTO EVERY PART OF THEIR LIVES.
THEY TRULY WARM OUR HEARTS AND WE SALUTE EACH OF THEM WITH GREAT GRATITUDE.
SO LET'S GIVE IT ALL UP FOR THEM.
AS WE BEGIN TONIGHT'S CELEBRATION, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE REVEREND PAUL DONAHUE, WHO IS ALSO AN HONOREE THIS EVENING FROM ST.
LUCY'S CHURCH IN NEWARK TO DELIVER THE OPENING PRAYER.
LET US BOW OUR HEADS AND ASK OUR LOVING, OUR LOVING LORD TO BLESS WITH JOY AND STRENGTH.
THE GRAND MARSHALS AND DEPUTY GRAND MARSHALS OF THE NEWARK NUTLEY AND WEST ORANGE ST.
THE GREAT STARVATION OPENED A RIVER OF MIGRANTS FROM IRELAND TO OUR LAND.
BEAUTIFUL ESSEX COUNTY IN EACH IMMIGRANT EXISTED A MYSTIC ENERGY FOR THE RENEWAL OF OUR COMMUNITIES RATHER THAN THEIR DIVISION.
THESE HONOREES, GRAND MARSHALS AND DEPUTY GRAND MARSHALS HAVE TAPPED INTO THAT MYSTIC ENERGY AND CARRIED OUT
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DEEDS.OR AS THE IRISH WOULD SAY, ON BEHALF OF GOD, ST.
PATRICK, AND COUNTRY, LORD BLESS THEM WITH JOY AND GOOD HEALTH.
UNLOCK IN EACH ONE OF US OUR MYSTIC ENERGY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ESSEX COUNTY.
WITH YOUR BLESSINGS AND INSPIRATION OF ST.
LET US NOW SET ABOUT DOING THE TODAY'S TASK AT HAND.
UM, GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE THAT'S HERE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, I'M LEN LUCIANO.
I'VE SERVED IN THE CAPACITY OF ESSEX COUNTY FREEHOLDER, UM, NOW KNOWN AS ESSEX COUNTY COMMISSIONER FOR LAST 11 AND A HALF YEARS REPRESENTING DISTRICT FOUR, WHICH MAKES UP WEST AND NORTH ESSEX.
UM, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE AND HONOR FOR MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUE, UH, WHO YOU'LL HEAR FROM IN A FEW MINUTES.
UH, COMMISSIONER BRENDAN GILL TO HOST THIS CELEBRATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, BRENDAN WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING IT BACK.
I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UM, YOU KNOW, USED TO CELEBRATE THIS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH EVERY YEAR.
AND THEN FOR A TIME BEING, IT, IT SORTA SUNSET.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN BRENDAN CAME ON THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, HE WON IN 2011, SO DID I.
HE SAID, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA TRY TO BRING BACK THESE, UH, THESE FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS TO HONOR HERITAGE AND CULTURE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
AND AS WE KNOW, WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE COUNTIES HERE IN, UH, THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
SO AT THAT, UH, I'M GONNA BEGIN THE PROGRAM BY ASKING EVERYONE TO STAND FOR A SOLDIER SONG, FOLLOWED BY OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
I'LL SING YOU A SONG A HAS ROUND THE BLAZING FIRES.
WE FROM THE STORY, AND AS WE WAIT, THE MORNINGS HEARING THE SILENCE OF THE WE, THE SOLDIER, SOLDIER, SOLDIER, AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE
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THANK YOU.PLEASE BE SEATED, EVERYONE, UM, JUST FIND IT TO BE, UH, A FITTING OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO MENTION THAT FOR YEARS.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE ROOM THAT KNOW CAROLYN VOLPE, SHE USED TO ATTEND OUR EVENTS, AND SHE USED TO SING, UH, LIVE.
I KNOW THAT SHE HASN'T BEEN, UH, FEELING TOO WELL, AND WE HAD INVITED HER THIS YEAR, BUT, UH, DUE TO SOME ILLNESS SHE COULDN'T MAKE IT.
SO IF WE COULD KEEP CAROLYN IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, UM, AND AGAIN, I'M LEN LUCIANO, REAL PROUD TO, UH, CO-SPONSOR THIS EVENT WITH MY COLLEAGUE BRENDAN GILL.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST A LITTLE PERSONAL REFLECTION, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE SAID THE STORY, UH, TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, I WAS RAISED BY A MOTHER AND A GRANDMOTHER, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY COULDN'T BE MORE IRISH.
I MEAN, IF I WAS A KID AND I HAD A DOLLAR FOR EVERY PARADE FOR EVERY EVENT WE WENT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO HAD A VERY STRONG, UH, CATHOLIC UPBRINGING FROM BOTH MY PARENTS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN I HEAR MARCH ROLL AROUND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT I THINK ABOUT.
ONE, MY BIRTHDAY IS IN MARCH, UH, AND TWO, UH, I LIKE, UH, ADULT BEVERAGES.
AND TWO, UH, AND, AND TWO, WE HAVE, UH, ST.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ST IT'S NOT ONE DAY, UH, UNTIL MY FATHER IN THE BACK.
JOSEPH'S DAY, RIGHT? UM, BUT YEAH, NO, IT'S SA ST.
AND HERE WE ARE AGAIN IN 2023.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT THAT WE'VE TURNED THE CORNER FROM COVID, YOU KNOW, FOR A WHILE.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE PARADES AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR EVENTS WERE PUT ON HOLD, AND IT JUST, UH, MY GRANDMOTHER WAS, UH, A DESCENDANT OF, OF COUNTY ROSS COMMON.
AND, UH, SHE GREW UP IN, UH, IN ORANGE, UH, WITH HER, UH, SISTERS, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, YOU KNOW, LOST THEIR PARENTS AT A YOUNG AGE.
AND, UH, SHE WENT ON TO MOVE TO WEST ORANGE WHERE SHE LIVED, UH, TILL 89.
AND ONE OF THE STORIES THAT SHE USED TO SHARE WITH ME IS, UH, YOU KNOW, A GOOD IRISH FOLK DON'T DIE IN MARCH.
AND, UH, SHE WAS ON HOSPICE FOR ABOUT A ABOUT THREE AND A HALF WEEKS.
SHE WOUND UP PASSING AWAY ON APRIL 1ST.
SO I, I FOUND THAT TO BE, UH, REALLY HUMBLING.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT STORY.
YOU KNOW, AT THIS TIME, I ALSO WANT TO, UH, MENTION, UH, MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE.
YOU HEARD FROM OUR PRESIDENT, UH, WHO'S WAYNE RICHARDSON, BUT LET'S GIVE HIM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
PRESIDENT WAYNE RICHARDSON, YOU KNOW, IN A LITTLE CIVICS LESSON FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF ESSEX COUNTY.
THERE ARE NINE OF US, FOUR OF US, UH, SERVE THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND ARE ON THE BALLOT IN ALL 22 MUNICIPALITIES.
AND FIVE OF US ARE CUTTING THE DISTRICTS LIKE A PIZZA.
SO, UH, RECOGNIZING SOMEONE ELSE ON THE BOARD, UH, WE CONSIDER HER THE DEAN HAILING FROM LIVINGSTON, UH, OUR OWN PATRICIA SIEBEL, THAT LARGE PAT BAT.
AND I SEE, UH, FROM EAST ORANGE, ONE OF OUR DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS, AND THAT IS TO SHAMI COOPER.
LET'S GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM BRENDAN IN A FEW MINUTES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA ALSO TAKE A PERSONAL NOTE OF PRIVILEGE HERE.
WE HAVE OUR CLERK OF THE BOARD, DEBORAH DAVIS FORD.
THANKS FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, DEBRA.
SO ALL THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER STAFF, UH, AND TO OUR ONE AND ONLY WHO EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS KAREN GOLD IN THE BACK.
KAREN, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ALL THIS TOGETHER.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO AS A COLLECTIVE BODY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE REPRESENT THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, LIKE I SAID, 11 AND A HALF YEARS.
UM, BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT, UH, THE LEADER OF OUR COUNTY, THE ONE AND ONLY WHO EVERYBODY KNOWS, IS OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, JOE DIENZO.
NOW, I KNOW I SPOKE TO HIM A LITTLE EARLIER TODAY, AND, UH, CALDWELL HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS PLAYING IN AN UNBELIEVABLE GAME, UH, STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
SO HE'S ACTUALLY AT THAT GAME.
UH, AND IN HIS, UH, HONOR HIS RIGHT HAND WHO HANDLES EVERYTHING FROM BUDGETING, UM, YOU KNOW, TO THE DAILY OPERATIONS IS, UH, A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE FROM ROSELAND, AND HE'S GONNA BRING GREETINGS ON BEHALF OF OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
UH, LUCIANO, UM, DOES ANYONE REALLY KNOW WHO IS SINGING THAT SONG? SOLDIER BOY, JIM MOONEY.
HE CAME HERE MANY, MANY A DAY TO CELEBRATE ST.
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TO BE IRISH, AND HE LOVED TO BE AN AMERICAN.BUT ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, I LIKE TO CONGRATULATE EVERYBODY FROM NUTLEY, WEST ORANGE AND NEWARK, THE GRANDDADDY OF THEM, ALL THE PARADES.
I REMEMBER MARCHING IN ALL THREE OF THOSE PARADES WHEN I WAS AN UNDERSHERIFF WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
I AM A HUNDRED PERCENT ITALIAN COMMISSION PRE MR. PRESIDENT.
BUT THE FUNNY PART ABOUT IT IS MY LIFE, I MET A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY, MAUREEN MCCHAIN, WHO COOKS WONDERFUL ITALIAN FOOD.
IS THAT CORRECT? BECAUSE THIS GENTLEMAN COMES EVERY CHRISTMAS EVE, BUT SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT WHEN SHE MARRIED ME.
PATRICK'S DAY IN THE MONTH OF MARCH.
SO I HAD TO BRING HER ON TO MAKE SURE SHE MADE ME MY CORN, BEEF, AND CABBAGE AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WENT WITH IT.
SO, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, CONGRATULATIONS.
HOPEFULLY WE HAVE GOOD WEATHER FOR ALL THE PARADES, AND I'LL SEE YOU THERE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THOSE REMARKS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HE'S RIGHT.
I DO SPEND, UM, CHRISTMAS EVE AT THE COLT TREE HOUSE, AND HIS WIFE, YOU KNOW, FULL-BLOODED IRISH WOMAN.
UH, AND SHE'S GREAT WITH THE FISH.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY HE ALSO HAS TWO KIDS AND, UH, HIS TWO KIDS IN THEIR, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR TWENTIES, THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE HALF ITALIAN, HALF IRISH.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SORT OF THE SAME BLOOD THAT I HAVE.
AND I, I HAVE A LAUGHING JOKE.
I TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I'M HALF GAELIC, HALF GARLIC, AND, UH, I, I LIKE TO GO OUT THERE.
I THINK I CAN EAT, AND, YOU KNOW, I COULD POLISH OFF SOME DRINKS WHEN NEEDED.
HOW ABOUT THAT? WE HAVE FATHER DONU.
SO NOT ONLY DID FATHER DONAHUE, UM, BAPTIZE MY DAUGHTER, HE ALSO MARRIED YOUR, LOOK AT THAT.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF THE SILVER LINING HERE, RIGHT? WITHIN THE IRISH COMMUNITY.
UH, AND, AND WITHIN CATHOLICISM, WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER IN SOME, IN SOME SORT, YOU KNOW, OR WE'VE ALL CROSSED PATHS WITH ONE ANOTHER AND TO ALL THE DIGNITARIES OF THE PARADE AND THE PARADE COMMITTEE FOLKS THAT KEEP THESE TRADITIONS ALIVE AND MARCH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I KNOW IT'S, LISTEN, EVERYONE KNOWS IN THIS ROOM, IT'S A PAIN IN THE NECK, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT EASY SETTING UP IN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE FUNDRAISING DINNERS AND GETTING HONOREES.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE HONOREES, WHICH YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM IN A FEW MINUTES.
AND LET ME BRING UP MY COLLEAGUE, UH, WHO YOU'LL HEAR FROM, AND WHO'S A GREAT IRISHMAN.
AND I, I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS RE YOU KNOW, THEY REFER TO US AS BROTHERS, AND, UH, HE'LL TELL YOU THE STORY IF WE WERE BROTHERS, YOU KNOW, CUZ HE HAS SOME ITALIAN IN THEM AND IRISH AND I HAVE ITALIAN AND IRISH.
SO OUT OF THE GROUP OF NINE HERE, WE MAKE ONE ITALIAN COMMISSIONER AND ONE, UH, ONE IRISH COMMISSIONER.
BUT, UH, FOR ALL THOSE THAT KNOW 'EM, LET'S GIVE THEM A REALLY WARM WELCOME.
THAT IS COMMISSIONER AT LARGE.
WELL, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LUCIANO FOR GIVING AWAY THOSE SECRETS,
UM, AND, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, TO YOU, AND, AND I APPRECIATE, UM, THE FACT, UH, THAT YOU REFER TO ME THAT WAY, UM, AS A BROTHER, UH, LEN AND I HAD THE, UM, HONOR TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER VERY WELL.
WE WERE BOTH FIRST ELECTED IN 2011 ON THIS BOARD TOGETHER.
UH, BOTH, UH, HAD SPENT TIME IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND, UM, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, SOMETIMES OFTEN GET CONFUSED
IT'S USUALLY WHEN YOU GOT IN TROUBLE AND THEN I GET BLAMED
BUT, UM, BUT, UH, IN ALL SERIOUS, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO HOST THIS CEREMONY WITH YOU EACH AND EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
AND, UM, AND I APPRECIATE IT WASN'T JUST, UH, ONE PERSON WHO HELPED BRING THIS TRADITION BACK.
IT WAS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF, UH, MANY OF OUR PRESIDENTS, OUR PRESIDENT NOW, PRESIDENT RICHARDSON, HAS CONTINUED, UH, THAT TRADITION.
UH, UH, OUR FORMER PRESIDENT, UH, UH, PRESIDENT TIMBERLAKE, UM, BONNIE WATSON.
I MEAN, YOU CAN GO DOWN THE LIST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE, HAVE ALLOWED THAT, UH, TRADITION TO CONTINUE.
BUT, AND, AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THAT.
AND, UH, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY VERY THRILLED TO BE BACK HERE IN PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, TO SEE EVERYONE IN PERSON.
WE ACTUALLY CARRIED ON THE TRADITION, UH, DURING COVID, UM, WHICH WE WERE PROUD TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO, UH, ONLINE.
BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, HERE IN PERSON TODAY.
SO LET'S, LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR EVERYONE WHO'S HERE TONIGHT TO OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, WHO WERE MENTIONED, BUT I ALSO WANT TO AGAIN, THANK THEM.
I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER SEABOLD, COMMISSIONER COOPER, UH, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN US, UH, HERE TONIGHT, UH, TO OUR CLERK, DEBORAH DAVIS FORD, UH, TO OUR STAFF, UH, WHO'S OUT THERE TO KAREN GOLDEN, WHO WORKS ON OUR COMMISSIONER STAFF, UH, TO KATHY, UH, WHO EACH AND WHO'S BEEN ALSO BEEN DOING THIS FOR SOME TIME.
SO THEN WEARING THE GREEN TONIGHT.
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APPLAUSE FOR KATHY, FOR KATHY BROWN.WHO ELSE, WHO ELSE PUT IT TOGETHER? NONE OF THIS WOULD BE, NONE OF THIS WOULD, UH, BE POSSIBLE, UM, WITHOUT, UM, WITHOUT THEIR HELP.
AND, UM, AS LEN MENTIONED, I, I DO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, SMALL LITTLE BIT OF ITALIAN.
WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE IT NOW AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HERITAGE IN, IN THE GILL, UH, IN THE GILL FAMILY.
BUT, UM, FOR THOSE OF 'EM WHO I ACTUALLY, MY WIFE IS COLOMBIAN
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, SO MY, YOU KNOW, MY KIDS ARE, ARE IDENTIFY, WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT OUR IRISH HERITAGE, IDENTIFY AS HALF COLOMBIAN AND HALF IRISH.
UH, BUT MY NOW, UM, 14 YEAR OLD SON WHEN HE WAS IN KINDERGARTEN, UH, WE WENT IN FOR A PARENT CONFERENCE, UM, AROUND MARCH OR LATE MARCH.
AND WE WERE TALKING TO THE TEACHER EXPECTING THIS TO BE A RELATIVELY EASY PARENT CONFERENCE, LIKE FIVE OR SIX YEARS OLD, HOW BAD COULD THIS BE? HE SAYS, WELL, WE HAVE, UH, ONE THING WE GOTTA TALK TO YOU ABOUT GABRIEL TODAY.
AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT'S THAT? HE SAID, HE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT TIRED LATELY, LIKE THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
AND WE SAID, OH, REALLY? AND WE SAID, WELL, DID HE GIVE YOU ANY INDICATION? WHY IS THERE SOMETHING GOING ON? HE SAID HE JUST HAD TO GO TO ONE TOO MANY IRISH PARTIES
SO WE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED THEM FROM THE WILL
AND, UH, WE SAID, NO, THAT'S COMMISSIONER LUCIANO'S, UM,
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE TRADITION, UM, YOU KNOW, OF FAMILY AND FAITH, UH, THAT WE COME HERE TO CELEBRATE, UH, TO WEAR OUR, UM, OUR HERITAGE ON OUR SLEEVES, SO TO SPEAK, IS SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO DO.
AND I'M PROUD AND HONORED TO BE WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UH, TONIGHT TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
SO WITH THAT, UM, LET US START WITH OUR FIRST, UH, OF OUR THREE PARADES THAT WILL BE CELEBRATING THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 4TH AND THE TOWNSHIP OF NUTLEY, THE NUTLEY ST.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE, AND ONE THAT I HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING, UH, AS THE GRAND MARSHALL OF IN 2014.
SO, IT'S MY PLEASURE, UH, TO INVITE THE NUTLEY PARADE CONTINGENCY TO THE PODIUM TO RECEIVE THE COMMENDATION FROM THE ENTIRE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
SO PLEASE, JO, PLEASE JOIN ME IN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AS WE WELCOME THE PRESIDENT OF THE NUTLEY IRISH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION.
OUR GRAND MARSHALL FRANK COST BEDER FRANK.
FRANK, OUR DEPUTY GRAND MARSHALL, JOSEPH MAGNIS JR.
OUR POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR.
SEE OUR MEMBER OF THE YEAR, JOANNE DUNLEAVY IN OUR PARADE, QUEEN ALLISON CONNOR.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA GET A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR EACH OF THE HONOREES TONIGHT.
BEFORE I INTRODUCE, UH, THIS YEAR'S GRAND MARSHALL FOR THE NELLY SAINT D ST.
PATRICK'S STATE POLAR PARADE, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE PRESIDENT OF THE NUTLEY IRISH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION.
DERE HOLLYWOOD DERE HAS HANDLED ALL THE CHALLENGES OF THE POST PANDEMIC ORGANIZING WITH GRACEFUL LEADERSHIP, AND HAS DONE A JOB ORCHESTRATING, WOULD ASSURE TO BE A VIBRANT AND EXUBERANT EXPRESSION OF IRISH KID'S.
UH, DEIRDRE, IT'S OUR PLEASURE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS ACCOMMODATION.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE ACCEPTED THIS ONE, SO YOU GOT A FEW OF THOSE IN YOUR CLOSET NOW.
UM, BUT IT'S, UM, REALLY OUR HONOR TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE, UH, PARADE COMMITTEE AND ALSO AS WE RENAMED FRANKLIN AVENUE AS FRANCIS J KABAK AVENUE AND CENTER STREET AS JOSEPH H MCNI JR.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THE GREEN LINE IS THE COUNT WE GOT, WE GOT THAT DONE.
SO WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT HAD EARL EARLIER EVER
THEY MISSED THE GRANDSTAND MR. PRESIDENT, THE YEAR I WAS THE GRAND MARSHALLS.
SO, NOT, NOT THAT I'M NOT, THAT I'M NOT STILL UPSET ABOUT THAT
BUT, UM, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HONORED, UH, TO AGAIN AND LOOKING FORWARD, UH, TO BEING, UH, WITH YOU.
WE, I KNOW WE HAD A FANTASTIC, UH, EVENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR HONOREES, UH, AT YOUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER.
DEIRDRE'S, A TREMENDOUS ORGANIZER, UM, AT YOUR PUB, UH, TOUR, UH, JUST THIS PAST,
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UH, SATURDAY.UH, AND, UH, WE HAD A GOOD TIME.
AND, UM, AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING WITH YOU.
UM, THIS, THIS SATURDAY ON THE FOURTH.
SO WITH THAT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE? I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GALE.
UH, MY FIRST PARADE WAS ALSO 2011, UM, BEING INVOLVED IN THE ORGANIZATION.
SO IT'S ALMOST, IT FEELS LIKE THAT WE'VE ALL GROWN UP TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS.
UM, SOME OF US GROW UP MORE THAN OTHERS,
ABBOTT CURLEY WILL BE SAYING THE MASS FOR US THIS YEAR AS THE HEAD CELEBRANT, WHICH WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, AND WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT GREEN LINE.
WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH THAT FRANKLIN AVENUE IS ACTUALLY A COUNTY ROAD.
UH, SO WE CAN SAY THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR PARADE.
WELL, WE COULD PROBABLY HAVE IT, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE AS GOOD, UH, IF YOU DIDN'T LET US USE THAT COUNTY ROAD FOR IT.
SO WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR ORGANIZATION.
NO, IT'S AN HONOR THAT IT TAKES PLACE ON A, UM, ON A COUNTY ROAD.
AND IF, AND IF I DID MENTION, UM, YOU KNOW, NEXT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, NEXT TO THE BIRTH OF MY SON AND MY DAUGHTER AND, AND GETTING MARRIED, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, BEING THE GRAND MARSHALL OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OF A, OF A ST.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE IS THE GREATEST HONOR THAT I'VE HAD, UM, IN MY, IN MY LIFE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UM, WHO WERE PART OF THAT FOR BESTOWING THAT, UH, ON ME.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW I WILL NEVER IN MY FAMILY WILL NEVER FORGET.
WITH THAT, UM, LET'S GET TO THIS YEAR'S, UM, GRAND MARSHALL, UM, WHO IS, UH, FAMILIAR, UH, TO ALL OF US AND ACTUALLY WHO WAS A HUGE PART OF THE YEAR THAT I WAS A GRAND MARSHALL AND OTHERS, AND EACH AND EVERY YEAR PERSON WHO USUALLY WAS WORKING, UH, BEHIND THE SCENES, NOT ONLY FOR THIS COMMITTEE, BUT FOR SO MANY, UM, IRISH ORGANIZATIONS, UH, OUR 2023 GRAND MARSHALL, THE NUTLEY ST.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE, UH, FRANK COSTUME BEATER.
I'M GONNA, AND WE SH WE SH I LEFT, I LEFT BEFORE YOU DID ON THE PUB, ON THE PUB TOUR ON, ON SATURDAY NIGHT.
SO WE SHARED A PINT TOGETHER ON, UH, ON SATURDAY.
AND, AND I ENJOYED THAT DEEPLY.
BUT LET ME JUST READ A LITTLE BIT FROM THE ACCOMMODATION.
UH, BEFORE WE HEAR FROM OUR, UM, GRAND MARSHALL, BORN AND RAISED, UH, IN BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY, THE THIRD OF ED AND MARIE KOBAS, FOUR SONS.
PETER'S GRAMMAR SCHOOL, SETON HALL PREP MOUNT ST.
MARY'S COLLEGE RECEIVED HIS LAW DEGREE FROM SETON HALL UNIVERSITY, HIS L L M DEGREE FROM NYU SCHOOL OF LAW GRADUATE DIVISION.
HE WAS AMI ADMITTED TO THE NEW JERSEY BAR IN 1963, AND HAS BEEN PRACTICING LAW IN NUTLEY SINCE 1964.
IN 1966, HE MARRIED PRISCILLA, UH, BRUCIE, AND THEY LIVED IN MILBURN WHERE THEY RAISED THEIR FOUR CHILDREN, JIM, PAUL, KATE, AND CHRIS.
UM, YOUR LATE WIFE WAS SUPPORTIVE OF HIS QUOTE IRISH THING.
I'M TRENDING A, A A THEME HERE,
PATRICK'S STATE TRADITIONS WITH FRIENDS EVERY MARCH 17TH, HE AND PRISCILLA CELEBRATED 41 YEARS OF MARRIAGE UNTIL SHE WAS CALLED TO HER ETERNAL LIFE.
IN 2007, HE COMES TO HIS IRISH HERITAGE FROM HIS FATHER'S MOTHER, WHO CAME FROM ST.
JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND, HIS MOTHER'S MOTHER, WHO CAME FROM GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, AND HIS MOTHER'S FATHER, WHO WAS BORN IN THE FIRST WARD OF NEW YORK CITY, BUT WHOSE FATHER WAS SMUGGLED OUT OF LIMERICK, IRELAND TO AVOID CONSCRIPTION INTO THE BRITISH ARMY.
HE ENDED UP THOUGH, LIKE SO MANY OTHER IMMI IRISH IMMIGRANTS EARNING HIS US CITIZENSHIP BY FIGHTING FOR THE UNION IN THE CIVIL WAR.
69TH, 69TH FIGHTING 69TH FRANCIS'S IRISH THING INCLUDED MEMBERSHIP IN THE NUTLEY IRISH AND ITS ANNUAL ST.
BEING THE 2004 MEMBER OF THE YEAR LISTENING ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS TO KALE AND GAIL ON W F U V, MAKING TWO TRIPS TO IRELAND,
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NAMING HIS DASH HOUND GUINNESS, AND TEACHING HIS AFRICAN GRAY TO SAY, GOD SAVE IRELAND UP WITH THE REPUBLICSO IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING ABSOLUTELY, THAT YOU HAVE EARNED THIS HIGH HONOR, AND WE SHARE YOUR PRIDE AS WE PREVENT PRESENT TO YOU THIS COMMENDATION AS THE GRAND MARSHALL OF THE 2023 NUTLEY ST.
THANK YOU, BRENDAN, AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND RECEIVE THIS RECOGNITION.
AND I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE OTHER HONOREES THAT ARE WITH US TONIGHT.
AND AS DIETRA DID INVITE YOU ALL TO OUR CELEBRATION ON THE FOURTH, WE BEGIN IT WITH THE MASS WHERE WE SHOW OUR DEVOTION TO OUR FAITH, THE FAITH OF ST.
PATRICK, AND LATER IN THE PARADE WHERE WE SHOW OUR PRIDE AND OUR IRISH HERITAGE.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL ALL BE ABLE TO JOIN US.
OKAY, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH LADIES.
ANOTHER ROUND APPLAUSE FOR THE NATALIE ST.
YEAH, YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN HANG UP ALL, WE WILL BE HERE ALL NIGHT,
I THINK AT THIS TIME WE HAVE ANOTHER PERFORMANCE FROM OUR PIPER AND THANK WHEN WE THANK JOE MCGONAGAL, WHO'S ALWAYS THERE WHEN WE NEED HIM.
UH, AND IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE HIM OUT ON, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HIM OUT QUITE A FEW TIMES OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, JOE MCGONAGAL.
AND, UH, WE JUST WANNA PUT ON RECORD, JOE'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE HONORED THIS SATURDAY NIGHT.
UM, HE'S GONNA BE THE, UH, KEARNEY IRISH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION, UM, MAN OF THE YEAR.
SO LET'S GIVE IT UP TO JOE ART PIPER.
UM, AND CONTINUING AND MOVING THE PROGRAM ALONG.
UH, UM, IT IS NOW OUR PED TO, UH, CALL UP AND OUR WES DAY, UH, COMMUNITY, UM, UH, A COMMUNITY THAT I HAVE HAD THE UNEMPLOY TO
[00:35:01]
T SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS.AND, UH, I CURRENTLY LIVE IN, WE NOW, UH, EVEN THOUGH MY NAME IS ITALIAN, AND YOU KNOW THAT MY, YOU KNOW, MY HERITAGE IS BOTH ITALIAN AND IRISH.
YOU KNOW, I HAD BEEN A SPIRITED SPIRITED SPECTATOR OF THAT WEST ORANGE PARADE SINCE I WAS PROBABLY WE BIG.
AND, UH, I STILL LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY YEAR.
I KNOW THE LAST COUPLE YEARS I THINK IT'S BEEN BRUTALLY COLD.
UM, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN OUT THERE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS, THIS IS THE 70TH ANNUAL WEST ORANGE ST.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE, WHICH WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 12TH.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN JOIN ME, UM, LET ME FIRST CALL UP OUR, UH, PARADE.
WELL, I'M GONNA GET 'EM ALL UP, BUT WE'RE GONNA START WITH, OF COURSE, THE MOST IMPORTANT.
LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR PARADE CHAIR, KEVIN BRENNAN.
KEVIN, KEVIN, I'M GONNA HAVE YOU GRAB THAT.
OUR, UH, PARADE GRAND MARSHALL THIS YEAR IS MICHAEL MCCORMICK.
IS MICHELLE HERE? MICHELLE? ALL RIGHT.
AND LAST, BUT OF COURSE NOT LEAST, RICH, USED, RICH, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.
OKAY, SO BEFORE I INTRODUCE THE GRAND MARSHALL, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU, UH, THE PARADE CHAIR, AND THAT IS KEVIN BRENNAN.
AND OF COURSE, I'VE MENTIONED THAT THE PARADE IS GONNA BE TAKING PLACE ON MARCH 12TH, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE NAMING THE STREET, MAIN STREET, MCCORMICK BOULEVARD, UH, IN HONOR OF OUR GRAND MARSHALL.
BUT IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE PARADE, EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO.
UM, AGAIN, WELCOME HIM UP, PLEASE.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
WE COULD NOT PUT ON THE PARADE WITHOUT YOU.
IT, IT TAKES, TAKES A VILLAGE.
I KNOW IT'S CLICHE, BUT IT TAKES ALL OF US TO PUT THE PARADE ON THE STREET.
AND WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE COMMISSIONERS, WE COULDN'T, WE COULDN'T DO IT.
UM, SECOND OF ALL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CONTINUALLY HEAR IS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND OFTEN WE SAY WE'RE A CATHOLIC WITH A BIG SEA CATHOLIC ORGANIZATION, BUT I THINK WE'RE ALSO CATHOLIC WITH A LITTLE SEA UNIVERSAL.
AND TO ME THAT MEANS EVERYONE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING THEIR IRISH HERITAGE, THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING JUST THE BEAUTY OF THE DAY AND GET OUT THERE AND ENJOY THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT IS WHAT MAKES US STRONGER.
UM, LIKE WITH EVERYONE ELSE, WE START, UH, OUR PARADE WITH MASS.
IT'S THIS YEAR, 9:00 AM OUR LADY OF THE LAKE IN VERONA.
WE ROTATE BETWEEN VARIOUS CHURCHES.
WOULD LOVE TO SEE ALL OF YOU THERE.
AND THEN FINALLY, I'M SURROUNDED BY AMAZING HONOREES.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN BACK TREMENDOUSLY TO WEST ORANGE AND THE IRISH COMMUNITY.
LANKA REUNION, TAMPA SUICIDE HURTS, AETNA PUERTO PAJAMA, STADI, INSANE SIBLING PALMORE REUNION, NITTY PAYPAL SWIMMER, REUNION LANKA, RADAR FORBID.
ITALY LANKA YACHT, KARAOKE PIN, PALMORE, ARIZONA LANKA, NITTY PLACEBO, NITTY SLAVERY, HECTIC STADI, HECTIC PICNIC REUNION, RECIPRO STADI, AVATAR REUNION.
ENEMIES MET PALMORE, LESBIAN, AIRBNB, PLACEBO, SENTI, REUNION, ARUBA, PLACEBO, UNSAFE.
LANKA, DENTIST, JAMAICA LESBIAN.
PLACEBO REUNION, STADI, DETROIT BRAID, GALVESTON STADI REUNION, STADI FORBID.
PLACEBO EQUINOX, PALMORE, DETROIT, ALEXIS, ROUTINE.
URSULA DEBUT, STADI, ARUBA, PLACEBO, AIRBNB, AVATAR, ORTIZ, LANKA, PLACEBO, AVON, ARIZONA, LANKA, PLACEBO, BAHRAIN, EQUINOX, BAHRAIN, PLACEBO, PALMORE, PLACEBO, LEGIT UNSAFE.
REUNION, STADI, PLACEBO, PANCREA, ANTENNA, AIRBNB, GINGER, PLACEBO, NINJA EQUINOX, PLACEBO, STADI, ORTIZ, UK GOOFY.
NINJA LANKA ADDICT, JAGUAR, EQUINOX, SANCHEZ, PALMORE, PLACEBO, PALMORE, KARAOKE, PALMORE, SWIMMER, RDU, STADI, ROTATE, PAJAMA.
STADI, REUNION, PALMORE, PLACEBO, PALMORE, PLACEBO, EQUINOX, PALMORE SAKE, EQUINOX, ADOBE MAILBOX, EQUINOX, PLACEBO, URSULA, PALMORE, GARCIA, EQUINOX, STADI, PLACEBO, TODDLER, ACUPUNC, SUNBELT, DEBIT, STADI, RAMIREZ, PLACEBO, AIRBNB, TODDLER URSULA STADI, REUNION, EQUINOX, PLACEBO PIN, STADI FEVER.
BAHRAIN PALMORE, PLACEBO SUGARS.
ORTIZ, PLACEBO EQUINOX, COWBOY ACRONYM PALMORE, TWITTER, KARAOKE, PIXAR, AVOCADO, PALMORE, URSULA AVOCADO, CITRUS METEOR, RAMIREZ, BAHRAIN, STADI ARABIA, METEOR, EQUINOX, EQUINOX.
URSULA VIVID REUNION THOUGH SOPHIE ROTATE.
KAY LEBANON PICNIC, SUBWAY, SICKLE PALMORE.
ASHLEY KNUCKLE, PALMORE, EQUINOX, JAGUAR PALMORE, HONESTY, PLAYOFF.
SUNBELT, PAYPAL, VALENTI LANKA.
ACUPUNC THOUGH REBATE FEVER THOUGH.
NAPA PATRIOT, HOPKINS, ORTIZ, SCOOT NINJA, RICO, AIRBNB, PALMORE, REUNION, PICNIC, URSULA PALMORE, SOVIET, GABRIEL BUFFET, GABRIEL PALMORE, DURST, PICNIC BOOTH, DOUGLAS PALMORE, NAPA, TIFFANY, STADI, DURST, RAMIREZ, PAYPAL, EVELYN, MOOD, PALMORE, NAPA PALMORE, PALMORE, RAMIREZ, NITTY JAGUAR REUNION, JAGUAR, OCCUPA, REUNION PIN, JAGUAR, NITTY TORRES ACRONYM RAMIREZ, DOUG TAHOE, FELON DEBIT, SOVIET PALMORE, TOYOTA, TEDDY, PALMORE,
AND AGAIN, EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO GET OUT AND SUPPORT US.
UM, I PLAN ON MAKING IT ON THE TOUR AGAIN THIS YEAR.
OF COURSE, I'LL BE AT THE PARADE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM, JUST FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S ALSO, UH, ATTENDING AND WATCHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR ON TV.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET OUT THERE FOR THE PARADE.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME NICE WEATHER.
AND BEFORE I BRING UP THE GRAHAM MARSHALL AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 'EM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WAS THINKING ABOUT IT WHILE I WAS STANDING OVER THERE.
OUR COLLEAGUE ON THE BOARD, OUR LONGEST STANDING COLLEAGUE, UH, COMMISSIONER PATRICIA SEABOLD, UM, SHE HAS A VERY, UM, UH, LONG HISTORY OF BEING PART OF THE WEST ORANGE FAMILY.
SHE SPENT HER LIFETIME AS CAREER AS A TEACHER AT WEST ORANGE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT, PAT.
SO AGAIN, FINALLY IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR GRAND MARSHALL MICHAEL MCCORMICK.
UH, HE WAS BORN TO THOMAS AND NORA, PAT MCCORMICK, AND RAISED
[00:40:01]
WITH HIS SISTERS KATHLEEN AND BRIAN, UM, IN WEST ORANGE, PRETTY MUCH HIS WHOLE LIFE, THEY'VE BEEN THERE.SO THAT'S A FANTASTIC, I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOU KNOW THAT THE GRAND MARSHALL IS SOMEBODY THAT CAME UP THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
THE HISTORIC LINEAGE OF THE MCCORMICKS IN WEST ORANGE STRETCHES BACK FOR 135 YEARS, BEGINNING WITH MICHAEL'S GREAT-GRANDFATHER IMMIGRATING FROM FRENCH PARK COUNTY, ROSS COMMON IN 1888.
UPON ARRIVING IN THE STATES, HE WAS GREETED BY A BLIZZARD, THE BLIZZARD OF 88, WHICH IS FAMOUSLY KNOWN, BUT KEPT THE FAITH AND STAYED ON TO CREATE A LEGACY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
HIS GREAT-GRANDFATHER FOUND HIS CALLING WHEN HE JOINED, WHAT MIGHT BE REFERRED TO AS THE FIRST CLASS OF THE WEST ORANGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BADGE NUMBER EIGHT.
MICHAEL'S GRANDFATHER, THOMAS SR.
JOINED THE WEST ORANGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND AFTER HIS RETIREMENT WORKED ALONGSIDE THOMAS A EDISON AT HIS LABORATORIES ON MAIN STREET, WHICH WERE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE LAB.
MICHAEL'S MATERNAL GRANDFATHER HELD FROM PORT SALON COUNTY, DONAL.
AND, UH, HIS MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER CAME THROUGH THE ISLAND BY HERSELF IN 1920 AT THE AGE OF 18.
AND EXCUSE ME, WITH THIS ONE, I DON'T KNOW IF I GORTS IF, IS THAT, IS THAT GORTS? UH, CLOSE ENOUGH.
CALLAHAN COUNTY, DONAL AND MICHAEL'S PASSION FOR THE SHALI CLUB, AND WE ALL KNOW THE SHALI CLUB IN WEST ORANGE.
FANTASTIC PLACE CAME FROM WATCHING HIS PARENTS WORK AND VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME IN PROMOTING THEIR IRISH HERITAGE AND COMRADERY.
HE'S VERY PROUD OF THIS YEAR FOR THE SERVICE HE HAS GIVEN TO THE CLUB, INCLUDING SERVING ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AS CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.
IN ADDITION, HE HEADED UP THE ANNUAL DINNER DANCE GALA AS CHAIRMAN.
CURRENTLY, MICHAEL WORKS IN PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS.
IN ADDITION TO SERVING AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE MICHAEL T. MCCORMICK JR.
MEMORIAL FOUNDATION NAMED FOR THEIR SON MICHAEL JUNIOR WAS SUDDENLY TAKEN FROM THEM ON HIS 19TH BIRTHDAY IN 2009.
THE FOUNDATION HAS RAISED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SCHOLARSHIP DOLLARS TO ASSIST DESERVING STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING SETON HALL PREP AND RUCKER SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE 33 YEARS AGO.
MICHAEL MARRIED KAREN CODMAN MCCORMICK, WHOSE IRISH SIDE IS ROOTED IN COUNTY LEGO AND COUNTY ROSS COMMON.
TOGETHER THEY RAISED THEIR CHILDREN, MICHAEL JR.
MICHAEL, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE ANYONE MORE WORTHY OF YOU FOR BEING PRESENTED THIS HONOR TONIGHT AND BEING GRAND MARSHALL OF THE PARADE.
IT IS MY PRIVILEGE AND PRIVILEGE OF MY COLLEAGUE BRENDAN GILL, TO BRING YOU TO THE MIC.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I COULD SAY RIGHT NOW THAT HASN'T BEEN ALREADY SAID TODAY, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I SAY THANK YOU TO MY FELLOW HONOREE FOR NEWARK AND NUTLEY PARADES.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO MARCHING WITH YOU GUYS SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, IF NOT ALL THE WAY ALONG THE WAY.
HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE THERE MARCH 12TH AT OUR PARADE.
BUT, UH, THAT WE STEP OFF AT 1215.
AS, UH, KEVIN HAD JUST MENTIONED.
I ALSO WANNA MENTION, UH, MY, THE DEPUTIES THAT ARE MARCHING THAT HAVE BEEN UNBELIEVABLE.
I MEAN, THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE, THEY DID A GREAT JOB ON THE PARADE COMMITTEE PICKING THESE GUYS.
THEY'RE THE BEST I COULD IMAGINE BEING WITH.
I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING.
UH, THIS WHOLE THING'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY.
THIS IS LIKE, UH, A CHERRY ON TOP OF THE SUNDAY, AND IT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE I'VE BEEN TO SO FAR THAT I'VE BEEN SOAKED IN BEER.
BUT, YOU KNOW,
AND, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS THIS PROGRAM ENDS IN A FEW MINUTES, WE'RE GONNA GET EVERY PARADE UP HERE INDIVIDUALLY WITH THE COMMISSIONERS FOR PHOTOS.
SO WE APPRECIATE IT AND WE'LL SEE YOU ON ON PARADE DAY.
AND FOR OUR LAST PRESENTATION, AND CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, UH, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE, UH, THE PRESENTATION TO THE GRANDDADDY OF THEM ALL, THE 88TH ANNUAL NEWARK ST.
THAT PARADE WILL TAKE PLACE RIGHT HERE IN OUR COUNTY SEAT IN THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK ON FRIDAY, MARCH 10TH.
THE IRISH IN NEWARK IS A STORY THAT BEGINS IN THE EARLY
[00:45:01]
1700 WITH WAVES OF IRISH IMMIGRANTS ARRIVING THROUGH THE 18 HUNDREDS.THEY WERE PART OF BUILDING OUR FIRST CATHOLIC CHURCHES, POPULATED OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, AND TOOK THE REINS AS LABOR LEADERS, COMMISSIONERS AND MAYORS, NEW JERSEY'S IRISH HAVE COME OF AGE THROUGH THE 20TH AND INTO THE 21ST CENTURY, ESTABLISHING SOUTH JERSEY'S IRISH RIVIERA AND
INDEED, THE IRISH HAVE LAID DOWN ROOTS THAT BLANKET OUR STATE, BUT PARTICULARLY BLANKET ESSEX COUNTY.
SO IT'S WITH GREAT PRIDE AND GRATITUDE THAT I INVITE THE NEWARK PARADE CONTINGENT TO JOIN US AS WE MAY PRESENT YOU WITH OUR COMMENDATIONS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
SO OUR PARADE CHAIR, SUSAN GARTLAND, OUR GRAND MARSHALL, JAMES P FALLON.
JIM FALLON, OUR DEPUTY GRAND MARSHALLS, RICK SMITH, YOU HEARD FROM HIM EARLIER, THE REVEREND PAUL DONAHUE, REVEREND DONAHUE AND MARGARET ANN FERRELL.
UH, PEGGY ANN FERRELL DANGERFIELD.
SO WE'LL BEGIN BY PRESENTING THE FIRST ACCOMMODATIONS, WHICH I THINK MY COMMISSIONER COLLEAGUE ALREADY DID.
THAT'S ALL OF OUR HONOREES, UH, TONIGHT.
AND, UM, WANTED TO TAKE, UH, A SPECIAL, UH, MOMENT, UH, SUSAN TO MENTION THAT EACH YEAR THE ST.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE IS DEDICATED TO SOMEONE SPECIAL OR IN SOMEONE'S HONOR AND, AND IN SOMEONE'S MEMORY.
AND THIS YEAR IS NO EXCEPTION.
THIS YEAR, THE PARADE WILL MARCH IN HONOR OF THE LATE THOMAS H KENNY, TOM KENNY, WHO MANY OF US KNEW WHOSE LIFE WAS A TESTAMENT TO LOVE OF FAMILY AND COMMITMENT TO THE FAIR TREATMENT AND WELLBEING OF WELLBEING OF WORKERS.
A LONGTIME LABOR LEADER MAY HIS MEMORY, INSPIRE US TO BRING GOODNESS INTO OUR WORLD.
OUR PRAYER CHAIR, SUSAN GARTLAND, WOULD YOU PLEASE LIKE TO JOIN ME AT THE MIC AND SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS YEAR'S PARADE AND ABOUT THE KENNY FAMILY AND ALL OF OUR HONOREES HERE TONIGHT? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO, UH, BRENDAN, UH, OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND, UH, TO LEN LUCIANO TO, UM, PAT CIBAL LONGTIME FRIEND.
BEEN AROUND, UH, I'VE BEEN AROUND AS LONG AS PAT HAS BEEN AROUND, I THINK, BUT IN MUCH DIFFERENT CAPACITY.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND WE CERTAINLY THANK THE COUNTY FOR, UM, BESTOWING THIS HONOR AND FOR HOLDING THIS EACH YEAR TO HONOR THE IRISH, UM, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER, UM, HONOREES, UH, IN THE DIFFERENT PARADES.
SO I THANK YOU FOR, UM, HELPING US OUT AND FOR DOING THIS.
UM, THE COUNTY HAS BEEN, UH, SUCH A PART OF, OF ALL OF OUR, UM, PARADES IN HELPING US THAT WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GRATEFUL TO THE CITY OF NEWARK FOR, UM, UH, HOSTING, HOSTING US.
UH, OUR PARADE IS, UH, AS HAVE AS HAS BEEN SAID, MARCH 10TH.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE IN IN LOCATION.
WE'RE MOVING UP A LITTLE BIT BETWEEN, UM, RAYMOND BOULEVARD OVER TO, UM, WHAT IS NOW, I GUESS, UH, HARRIET TUBMAN PARK, UH, WHICH WAS WASHINGTON PARK.
SO, UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE GO PAST THE NEW JERSEY PACK, WHO HAS, UH, WORKED WITH US THIS YEAR.
UM, I AM SO HAPPY TO HAVE, UH, JIM VALON AS OUR GRAHAM MARSHALL.
UM, WHAT A, A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL MAN.
UM, HE'S VERY INVOLVED WITH THE, UM, THE A O H AND THE SHALI, BUT HE HAS WORKED AT ST.
MICHAEL'S HOSPITAL FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
UM, AND HE BRINGS SUCH A, A WONDERFUL, UM, UH, APPRECIATION FOR NEWARK AND FOR THEIR RENAISSANCE AND, AND ALL THE, UM, THINGS THAT ST.
MICHAEL'S HAS DONE, UH, TO, UM, BE INVOLVED IN, IN THE CITY OF NEWARK.
SO HE WAS THE FIR PERFECT PERSON FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, OUR, UH, DEPUTIES FATHER PAUL IS OBVIOUSLY ST.
UM, AND I KNOW HE'S ALSO THE CHAPLAIN FOR, UM, THE, UH, NEWARK POLICE AND FIRE, I BELIEVE.
[00:50:01]
IS, UM, A RETIRED SHERIFF'S OFFICER, UH, FOR THE COUNTY.SO, UM, ALL OF OUR HONOREES THIS YEAR.
AND, AND PEGGY DANGERFIELD HAS GROWN UP WITH HER FOUR BROTHERS IN THE, UM, OVER IN, WHERE'S THE SECTION? WHY DO BERG BERG? THANK YOU.
AGE
SO, UM, AND, UH, AND SHE IS THE, UH, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE, UH, NEW JERSEY NURSES ASSOCIATION.
SO, UM, OUR TIES TO NEWARK THIS YEAR ARE, UM, VERY DEEP AND, UH, WONDERFUL.
SO WE INVITE YOU ALL TO JOIN US.
UM, OUR MASS IS AT, UH, 10 O'CLOCK AT ST.
PATRICK'S PRO CATHEDRAL ON, UH, WASHINGTON STREET.
UM, AND, UH, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, AS ALL OF YOU, I'M SURE ARE HOPING TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY.
UM, LAST YEAR WE WERE BLESSED.
SO, UM, WE'RE HOPING, AGAIN, WE'RE SAYING PRAYERS.
I'VE ASKED ALL THE PRIESTS TO SAY, UH, FATHER CURLEY, UH, FATHER PAUL, ALL OF, UH, THE PRIESTS INVOLVED WITH OUR PARADE, IF THEY WOULD, UM, SAY, SAY PRAYERS FOR IT TO BE A ANOTHER NICE DAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO UPHOLD THE TRADITION, UM, UH, RAISING A, AGAIN, A LONG TIME.
YOU'VE SERVED IN LOTS OF CAPACITIES IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE YOU CONTINUING TO LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION.
WITH THAT, IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE, UH, MY FRIEND IN THE 2023 GRAND MARSHALL OF THE NEWARK ST.
JIM FALLON, LET ME SHARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COMMENDATION, AND PLEASE, YOU KNOW, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO READ, UH, THE WRITE UP, NOT ONLY ABOUT JIM, BUT ALL THE HONOREES HERE TONIGHT AND THE PROGRAM TONIGHT.
JUST TREMENDOUS BIOS, UH, FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE HONOREES.
BUT JIM FALLON CAN TRACE HIS ROOTS TO COUNTY ROSS, COMMON IRELAND, WHERE HIS PATERNAL GRANDFATHER WAS BORN AND RAISED BEFORE IMMIGRATING TO NEWARK IN 1925.
HIS GRANDFATHER AND GRANDMOTHER MET AT A GAELIC ORGANIZATION, FUNDRAISER, MARRIED IN 1933 AND RAISED TWO CHILDREN.
JIM FALLON IS THE OLDEST SON OF JAMES D AND SALLY A FALLON, WHO WERE BOTH BORN IN NEWARK.
HE AND HIS BROTHER WILLIAM, WERE INTRODUCED TO IRISH CULTURE AS CHILDREN AND WERE INFUSED WITH A LOVE OF IRELAND BY THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR COUSINS.
JIM JOINED THE ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS IN 2010.
IN 2012, AFTER RECEIVING HIS MAJOR DEGREE, HE WAS ELECTED VICE PRESIDENT AND WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT IN 2013.
UH, THAT WAS A GOOD RIDE AROUND APPLAUSE.
HE SERVED THREE, TWO YEAR TERMS. HE ALSO SERVED AS THE DINNER DANCE CHAIRMAN FOR DIVISION NINE FROM 2012 TO 2019.
AND, AND AS IN EVERYONE KNOWS WHO'S INVOLVED IN AN, IN AN IRISH ORGANIZATION, THIS IS, HE SERVED AS THE AD BOOK CHAIRMAN
SO, FATHER, I THINK THERE'S A SPECIAL PLACE RESERVE FOR JIM FOR DOING THAT AS THE AD BOOK CHAIRMAN.
JIM IS A MEMBER OF THE ESSEX CHALE CLUB SINCE 2012, AND HAS SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT FROM 2020 TO 2022 VICE PRESIDENT 2019, AND CORRESPONDING SECRETARY FROM 2017 THROUGH 2019.
HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE WEST ORANGE ELKS LODGE, 1590, AND THE TRI-COUNTY GOLF CLUB, WHICH HE SERVES AS THE HANDICAP CHAIRMAN.
HE'S THE DIRECTOR AT THE DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AT ST.
MICHAEL'S MEDICAL CENTER HERE IN NEWARK, WHERE HE HAS WORKED SINCE HE WAS ATTENDING COLLEGE.
AND COINCIDENTALLY, WHERE YOU WERE BORN, I DID NOT.
SO HE IS THE AUTHOR OF THREE PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES ON HIV AND HEPATITIS C, BRINGING THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS MIND AND HEART TO HIS HEALING PROFESSION AND TO HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY HIS WHOLE LIFE.
JIM FALLON IS INDEED DESERVING OF THIS ACCOMMODATION THAT WE NOW PRESENT TO YOU.
IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO PRESENT YOU AGAIN WITH THIS WELL-DESERVED ACCOMMODATION.
ALSO, UH, TO SAY AGAIN, AS A PERSON WHO'S USUALLY DOING SO MUCH FOR SO MANY OTHERS, IT'S GREAT TO BE SEEING YOU RECOGNIZED WELL-DESERVED, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING WITH YOU, UH, ON MARCH 10TH FOR THE THANKS.
UH, THANK YOU TO ALL THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.
I KNOW EVERYTHING HAS REALLY BEEN SAID PRIOR TO MY, UH, SPEAK NOW.
UH, BUT YEAH, I'M, WHEN I WAS ASKED TO BE, UH, UM, GRAND MARSHALL, THE NORTH PARADE, YOU KNOW, I REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY MY, WHAT I'VE DONE WITH THE HIBERNIANS AND ALSO WITH THE
[00:55:01]
ELLIS, BUT ALSO MY 30 YEARS OF WORK DOWN HERE IN NEWARK AT ST.SO I THOUGHT IT WAS A NICE, YOU KNOW, REWARD FOR ALL THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE IN NEWARK AND FOR, UH, ALL THE IRISH ORGANIZATIONS.
I HOPE TO SEE EVERYBODY ON MARCH 10TH, ONE O'CLOCK OVER IN OUR MULBERRY UP CENTER STREET, CENTRAL AVENUE OUT THERE, CHEERING US ALL ON.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, DO YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING REMARKS OR, OKAY.
UM, SO AS WE CONCLUDE OUR PROGRAM, I WANNA THANK EACH OF YOU FOR JOINING US, UH, TO CELEBRATE OUR HONOREES AND ANNUAL PARADE.
UH, AND BEFORE WE BRING UP, UM, UH, FATHER PAUL DONAHUE FOR THE, UH, FOR THE BENEDICTION, JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO STAY.
I KNOW WE HAVE, UM, A TRADITIONAL, UH, IRISH MEAL PREPARED.
I THINK, UH, FRANK'S RUSS COMMON, AND I'M SORRY, AND FRANK, MY, AND YES, THANK YOU MICHAEL'S.
ROSS, COMMON FROM BELLEVILLE, THANK YOU, UM, HAS PROVIDED THE FOOD, UH, FOR US, UH, TONIGHT.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK MY CO-HOST, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
UM, AND AGAIN, INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN US, UH, IN ROOM 5 0 1, UH, TO GREET THE HONOREES AND, AND ENJOY OUR TRADITIONAL, UH, ST.
UH, AND AGAIN, THANK, UM, ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE EACH OF THESE, UM, PARADES, UH, POSSIBLE TO RECOGNIZE OUR IRISH HERITAGE, UH, AND CULTURE.
UM, FINAL QUICK PERSONAL STORY, UH, FOR ME, UH, MY FATHER ACTUALLY GREW UP, UM, IN NEW YORK CITY.
UM, MARCHED IN THE NEW YORK ST.
PATRICK STATE PARADE EACH AND EVERY YEAR, UH, FOR MANY YEARS.
WENT THROUGH CATHOLIC SCHOOL, UH, IN NEW YORK, AND WENT ON TO IONA, UH, COLLEGE.
UH, BUT IT'S INTERESTING HOW PEOPLE EXPERIENCE, UH, PARADES AND CELEBRATIONS.
UM, WE DID NOT GO TO MANY PARADES WHEN I WAS YOUNG, AND I ASKED MY FATHER ONE DAY, UM, AND MY FATHER, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, AS A 53 YEAR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, STILL TEACHING IN THE MONTCLAIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND, UM, HE SAID, BECAUSE THEY WERE ALWAYS AT THE END OF THAT PARADE,
SO HIS MEMORIES OF THAT PARADE WAS, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH BEING VERY COLD
SO, UH, WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, OUR CELEBRATION WAS USUALLY SMALLER JUST AS A FAMILY, YOU KNOW, HAVING, UM, A TRADITIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, FOOD, CORN, BEEF AND CABBAGE AND, AND OTHER TRADITIONAL, UH, IRISH FAIR, JUST WITH OUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY ON ST.
PATRICK'S DAY AND MAYBE, UM, A PARADE, UH, OR TWO.
BUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU LEAD AND YOU'RE HONORED TO BE RECOGNIZED BY, UH, HAVE PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME AND OTHERS WHO WANTED TO DO MORE.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO NOT ONLY ARE YOU BEING RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR OWN ACCOMPLISHMENTS, YOU ALSO ARE BRINGING, UH, MORE, MORE PEOPLE AND PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW OR THAT YOU MAY HAVE NEVER MET, UH, AND ALLOW THEM, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE SOME PRIDE IN A WAY THAT THEY WANT TO IN THEIR, IN THEIR IRISH HERITAGE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
KE CAN YOU JUST, YOU, YOU'VE GOT YOUR, UM, YOUR FATHER'S, UM, PIN FATHER WAS AN AID ESSIS COUNTY FREEHOLDER TIME AGO, NOT QUITE SURE WHICH FREEHOLD, BUT THEY KEPT THIS BADGE AND I WORE IT TODAY.
JOSEPH ONE AN A, SO I THINK YOUR FATHER WAS AN AIDE TO A, TO A FORMER ESS COUNTY FREEHOLDER.
AND THE, AND AS AN AIDE, HE, THEY, HE WAS GIVEN A PIN, SO HE WOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS A HERE IN ESSES.
SO SOME MORE, SOME MORE TRADITION.
SO, SO, UM, UH, FATHER PAUL DONIA, FATHER DONIO, YOU WANNA CLOSE US OUT WITH THE BENEDICTION, AND THEN WE CAN, UM, CELEBRATE IN ROOM 5 0 1
THE, UH, JUST BEFORE I CAME HERE TODAY, I HAD A WAKE AND IT REMINDED ME OF, UH, AN EXPERIENCE I HAD WHEN I WAS LIVING IN THE KUBO HOUSE IN CONTAR, DUBLIN.
YOU KNOW, I WAS INVITED FOR AN EVENING MEAL, AND BEFORE THE EVENING MEAL, I HAD TO GO TO A WAKE.
AND I, I, I GET TO THE HOME OF FRANK AND GENE, AND WE SIT DOWN DIRECTLY OPPOSITE ME WAS THEIR SON, JOHNNY.
HE'S SIX, BUT HE'LL TELL YOU, HE'S ALMOST SEVEN.
YOU KNOW HOW THAT HE'S STARING AT ME AND STARING AT ME
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AND STARING AT ME.FINALLY, I SAID, SON, WHAT ARE YOU STARING? NOW? HE CAN'T LOOK AT ME.
HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY OR DO.
SO I SAY TO HIM, SON, I KNOW WHAT YOU WERE STARING AT.
YOU WERE STARING AT MY ROMAN COLLAR.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? HE STANDS UP ALL PROUD AND SAYS, YES, KEEPS FLEEING D***S AWAY FOR THREE MONTHS.
YEAH, I, I THOUGHT YOU'D LIKE THAT.
I, I USUALLY, CHRISTOPHER DAWKINS IS HERE AND HE STARTS US OFF.
BUT IN HIS HONOR, I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THAT STORY WITH HIM.
WE PRAY, WE PAY HONOR TO THOSE WHO HAVE PRECEDED US AND BROUGHT US TO LIFE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
WE HONOR THEM BY REMEMBERING THEM AND THEIR WORDS AND THEIR PRAYERS.
MAY THOSE WHO LOVE US LOVE US, AND THOSE THAT DON'T LOVE US, MAY GOD TURN THEIR HEART, AND IF HE DOESN'T TURN THEIR HEART, MAY HE TURN THEIR ANKLES.
SO WE'LL KNOW THEM BY THEIR LIMPING.
SO, I'M GONNA KEEP THE THANK YOU FATHER.
I'M GONNA KEEP THE NEWARK PARADE UP HERE REAL QUICK WITH MY COLLEAGUES FOR A PICTURE.
THEN I'M GONNA CALL UP NUTLEY, THEN WEST ORANGE.
EVERYONE IN THE BACK CAN, UH, HEAD DOWN TO 5 0 1.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA GRAB A FEW PICTURES.
WE'LL GET THE PICTURES TO THE PARADE, UH, COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY OUR, OUR PUBLIC, UH, RELATIONS ALSO TRY TO GET OUT.