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St. Patrick’s Day

St. James goes green for St. Patrick’s Day

by Sara-Megan Walsh - March 19, 2018

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St. James residents showed off their Irish pride by going green this Saturday.

The St. James Chamber of Commerce held its 34th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade March 17 featuring bagpipers, floats and plenty of green. The parade stepped off from the corner of Woodlawn and Lake avenues and progressed to the gazebo at St. James Elementary School.

The grand marshal of this year’s parade was St. James resident Michael Tully. The Tully side of the family hails from Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland, and the Carney side of his family is from Galway. He was a health and physical education teacher for Brentwood school district before becoming a school administrator from 1970 to 2002.

Tullly is known for his involvement in his community — as a coach for the Smithtown/St. James Little League baseball team, coach of Smithtown Kickers soccer team, former secretary of the Smithtown Booster Club and former advancement chairman and merit badge counselor Boy Scouts of America Troop 301, according to the chamber. He is also a volunteer at Northport VA Medical Center and the veterans home in Stony Brook.

Huntington shines with Irish pride at St. Pat’s parade

by Sara-Megan Walsh - March 12, 2018

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Thousands lined the streets of Huntington to show off their Irish pride at the town’s 84th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. The nearly two-hour parade featured performances by pipe and drum corps, including New York Police Department’s The Emerald Society, and local high school marching bands. The parade was led by grand marshal Andrew Brady, former president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Huntington and parade co-chair for several years.

Miller Place, Rocky Point show off St. Patrick’s Day pride

by Desirée Keegan - March 12, 2018

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Hundreds hit the streets of Miller Place/Rocky Point for the 68th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade March 11.

The Friends of St. Patrick’s, founded in 1950 by businessmen John M. Sullivan and George Faulkner, launched the first Miller Place-Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day parade March 17, 1951.

The parade, moving from Broadway in Rocky Point down 25A toward Miller Place, was led by grand marshal Andrew Streef, co-owner of The Hartlin Inn in Sound Beach, and the royal court, led by queen Jordan McClintock, a senior at Shoreham-Wading River High School. The queen’s ladies in waiting are Miranda Navas of Rocky Point and Melanie Weidman of Sound Beach.

The parade was in memory of James O’Sullivan.

Irish pride shines through dreary weather in Kings Park

by Sara-Megan Walsh - March 5, 2018

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Kings Park held annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 3 led by Grand Marshal Father Sean Gann, the pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Kings Park.

Despite the threat of rain and chilling winds, Kings Parks residents lined the streets to celebrate the area’s Irish heritage — whether they were Irish or merely Irish for the day.

There parade featured bagpipe bands, floats, marching groups and a special tribute to Gann as it’s marshal. Gann’s mother, Mary, immigrated to the United States from St. Mullins, County Carlow, in Ireland at age 12 to live with her aunt in Kings Park, according to the parade’s website.

Gann has served as a chaplain to the Suffolk County Police Officer’s Emerald
Society, whose pipe band marches first in the Kings Park parade each year.

The parade was started in 2011 by Kevin “The Professor” Denis, owner of Professor’s Diner in Kings Park as a way to celebrate the area’s Irish cultural roots.

Rocky Point Middle School students shave heads during St. Baldrick’s event

by TBR Staff - March 16, 2017

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As music blasted and hair clippers buzzed in the packed Rocky Point Middle School gymnasium March 16, teachers, students and community members lined up to get their heads shaved in the name of childhood cancer research.

Upwards of 25 people, a majority of them students, registered to shed their locks and raise money for the school’s second annual St. Baldrick’s event. Organized by 8th grade social studies teacher Erica Alemaghides, the event encourages students to “stand in solidarity” with those struggling with childhood cancer, one of the most underfunded cancers in the world, and be involved in community fundraising.

“Everybody has someone in their family or community that has been touched personally by cancer, so this really is an event that hits home for so many people.”

—Scott O’Brien

This year, Alemaghides said, the middle school began raising money in February through online crowdfunding accounts, and raised more than $13,000 for the non-profit St. Baldrick’s Foundation, surpassing its set goal of $10,000.

After last year’s success, raising $8,000 with an originally-set goal of $5,000, Rocky Point Middle School Principal Scott O’Brien didn’t hesitate to give Alemaghides the go ahead to double the amount.

“Everybody has someone in their family or community that has been touched personally by cancer, so this really is an event that hits home for so many people,” O’Brien said. “I’m just so proud of what our school and community continues to do … The money will help give kids a second chance at life and the students, teachers and community members are making a difference.”

Each student who got their heads shaved received a certificate, T-shirt and a bracelet. Student step dancers and Selden’s Siol Na h’Eireann bagpipe band performed Irish dances and songs for those in attendance.

Feeling more like a rock concert than a school assembly, students from all grades filled the gym’s bleachers, cheering and stomping their feet for those who sat down centerstage and got their heads shaved by members of the high school’s cosmetology program.

Seventh-grader Quentin Palifka received a special medal after he and his family donated the most money — $4,120. He said he was eager to get involved.

“Middle school can be rough for some people, but when we all focus on a single cause for at least one day, it pulls us together.”

—Liam Abernethy

“I really liked the cause — it’s a great cause, and one of my family’s friends we’ve known for so long died of cancer and I just wanted to help out,” Palifka said. “I wanted to do it last year but didn’t, and then this year, I was like, ‘I have to do it.’”

Eighth-grader Liam Abernethy and his father, a teacher in the Sachem school district, decided to get bald together.

“I have a lot of family members that died from cancer — my grandfather, my uncle, even some aunts — and I think suffering through it at such a young age would be absolutely devastating,” Abernethy said about his drive to donate. “Middle school can be rough for some people, but when we all focus on a single cause for at least one day, it pulls us together.”

When asked how it felt to be hairless, he said, “I feel lighter, a few pounds lighter.”

It was seventh-grader Kathryn Bush, however, who got everyone’s attention for being the first girl in the event’s two-year history to shave her head.

“I felt like it was something good to do and I also wanted to start over again with my hair,” she said. “I was nervous at first because I have a couple beauty marks on my head and people would maybe see things that I don’t want them to see, but now I’m fine with it and it’s not really that big a deal.”

Bush, who raised more than $1,000, said she hopes more girls will volunteer in the future.

Diedre Johnson, the high school cosmetology student who shaved Bush’s head, said she was impressed by her courage.

“Can you imagine shaving their head at their age? It takes a lot of courage. As adults, it’s easy to see that it’s just hair and will grow back in a few months, but to kids, it seems like forever.”

—Bruce Wolper

“That was so sweet; I always say I want to shave my head [for charity] but she actually did it, that was so nice,” she said, adding that the process of shaving heads was at first nerve-wracking, but became easier and more fun as the event went along. “It’s all one size and pretty easy to do … it was really eye-opening that so many people wanted to volunteer.”

Silvina Vega, a Wading River resident, heard about the St. Baldrick’s event on Facebook and decided to stop by and participate. She plans on donating her hair to Locks of Love, a not-for-profit that provides hairpieces for kids struggling with cancer.

Many teachers at the school look forward to the event and seeing their students excited about doing something good.

“It’s electric and very heartwarming,” said 7th grade Spanish teacher Bruce Wolper. “They’re taking a risk at this age, can you imagine shaving their head at their age? It takes a lot of courage. As adults, it’s easy to see that it’s just hair and will grow back in a few months, but to kids, it seems like forever.”

John Mauceri, a 7th grade special education social studies teacher, echoed Wolper’s sentiment.

“Having the kids realize how important it is to give back,” Mauceri said, “especially in this world we live in, and feel good about positive things, is amazing.”

Wine and Cheese: Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with corned beef and beer

by Bob Lipinski - March 16, 2017

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By Bob Lipinski

“Irish diplomacy is the ability to tell a man to go to hell so that he looks forward to making the trip.” (Irish saying)

Before you begin cooking the corned beef, you will need some good old-fashioned pants-slapping music. Naturally, the Irish Rovers or Clancy Brothers would be a great choice. Now, the best songs to listen to include “The Unicorn,” “The Orange and the Green,” “Goodbye Mrs. Durkin,” “Black Velvet Band,” “Donald Where’s Your Trousers,” “Bridget Flynn,” “Lilly The Pink,” and “Harrigan.”

To help celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, here’s the scoop on corned beef.

The term corned beef has nothing to do with American corn, but rather an English term from the seventeenth century, for curing and preserving a brisket of beef in salt, which at one time was in the form of pellets (or grains of salt), called corns. Today “corning” is the term used to describe the process of curing a brisket of beef by steeping it in a pickling solution.

Here’s what I use to cook corned beef. Photo by Bob Lipinski

Corned beef, a staple of all Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations, is generally cooked by steam, although some cooks prefer to boil, bake or even microwave it (ouch, when you see the electric bill.) I have found that steaming the corned beef in a tall pot used for steaming clams minimizes shrinkage, maintains moisture and cooks in less time than other methods. Be certain the bottom of the steamer pot is filled with water, plus the pickling spices, which are often packed with the corned beef. (You can use a tablespoon of pickling spices, available in the supermarket if needed.) Do not trim off any fat pre-cooking; it adds to the moisture. Cook according to the package or your butcher’s advice. To keep the corned beef tender after cooking, let it rest for five minutes before serving. Now, remove any excess fat. To avoid stringy, cooked meat, be certain to slice against the grain.

Between the Irish music, the parade up Fifth Avenue and eating chunks of Irish soda bread, I enjoy beer on Saint Patrick’s Day. Everyone has their favorite and the most popular Irish beers are Beamish, Galway Hooker, Guinness, Harp, Murphy’s, O’Hara’s and Smithwick’s. However, my favorite is Guinness Foreign Export Stout, available only in four-packs. Guinness Stout is relatively low in carbonation and should ideally be served at 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you prefer wine, my suggestions for white wines are chenin blanc, gewürztraminer, pinot blanc, riesling and sylvaner. Red wines are barbera, Bardolino, Beaujolais, Chianti and pinot noir. Equally fine is rosé, white zinfandel and a blanc de noirs sparkling wine.

Bob Lipinski, a local author, has written 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need to Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com.) He conducts training seminars on wine, spirits and food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com or [email protected].

Cold doesn’t put the chill on Rocky Point’s Friends of St. Patrick parade

by Desirée Keegan - March 13, 2017

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On March 12, the Friends of St. Patrick held Rocky Point and Miller Place’s 67th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. Green and gold were seen down Route 25A to Broadway, as residents from all over the North Shore braved the cold to take part in this year’s festivities.

Huntington celebrates St. Patrick’s Day

by Victoria Espinoza - March 13, 2017

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Residents braved chilly temperatures Sunday, March 12, to cheer on the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Bagpipers, Girl Scouts, and more marched down Main Street in Huntington to celebrate the Irish.

Kings Park paints the town green for St. Patty’s Day

by TBR Staff - March 6, 2017

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Kings Park celebrated the Irish at their annual St. Patrick’s Day parade this past Saturday, March 4. Residents from all over the North Shore enjoyed marching band performances, bagpipers and more.

Kings Park parade committee selects 2017 St. Patrick’s grand marshals

by Phil Corso - May 30, 2016

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KingsParkStPatsParade201620160306_MarkDAngio_04w — A scene from this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Kings Park. Photo by Mark D’Angio

The parade may be over, but the Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee has been keeping busy, working on the preparations for its 2017 Grand Marshal Ball and 2017 St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Within three weeks of the 2016 parade, one of the largest on Long Island, committee members were reviewing various phases of the 2016 parade. The first order of business was to select a grand marshal. In an unprecedented move, the McWilliams Sisters — Cathy Donnelly, Barbara Griffin and Marge Stajk — were named to lead the 2017 St. Patrick’s Parade.

This honor is believed to be unique, as three siblings were named grand marshals, the organizers said.

The McWilliams sisters were selected based on their Irish heritage, community spirit, and personal demeanor. Their parents, Edward and Margaret McWilliams, moved from County Carlow, Ireland, settling in Kings Park, where the parents opened the Park Diner in 1944. The family consisted of three sisters, Catherine, Barbara, and Margaret, and three brothers, Edward, Joseph, and Ronald.

The sisters attended St. Joseph’s School until the 8th grade, graduated from Kings Park High School, and raised their families in Kings Park. The parade committee noted that each sister donated time and efforts toward various charitable endeavors, especially as members of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 3.

The Grand Marshal Ball will be held at Flowerfields, on Friday, November 18. The event will consist of the presentation of the “McWilliams Sisters,” Irish music and dance, raffles, and live band. The Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017.

The committee thanked Kevin “The Professor” Denis for his extraordinary efforts as its chairman. As one of the Parade’s founders, he excelled at raising the necessary funding for the parade, which features more than 20 bagpipe bands, fire departments, floats, and organizations. During the past six years, the Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade has become one of the largest parades on Long Island. Denis will continue to aid the committee. Kevin Johnston was named the committee’s new chairman.

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