Long Beach prepares to shamrock and roll at Irish Day

Long Beach’s West End will come alive with Irish pride this weekend as the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 17 hosts the 35th Annual Irish Heritage Parade and Festival on Saturday, Oct. 5.

The parade, which celebrates Irish culture and community, will begin at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and West Park Avenue. The procession will travel through the heart of the West End, concluding at Beech Street.

“Legend has it that Saint Brendan the Navigator sailed from the shores of Ireland around the year 530 A.D. in search of the ‘Promised Land of the Saints,’” City Council President Brendan Finn said. “The launching point, Dingle in County Kerry, is a town filled with music and culture located on the Atlantic Ocean. I think it is quite fitting that a city filled with music and culture on this side of the Atlantic celebrates Saint Brendan every year, and perhaps this is the legendary promised land. And now we call it Irish Day.”

This year’s Grand Marshal is the Michael Diamond Charitable Foundation, recognized for its charitable work in the Long Beach area. The foundation was created in honor of Michael Diamond, a Long Beach resident, lifelong member of AOH Division 17, and former New York City police officer and firefighter, who died in 2018. The foundation’s mission focuses on suicide prevention awareness, veteran support, and scholarships for students and athletes in need.

The Michael Diamond Charitable Foundation was recently honored as the Long Island Crisis Center’s Person of the Year at its 16th Annual Suicide Awareness Walk on the Long Beach Boardwalk. The foundation has raised over $100,000 for various causes, including donations to the Crisis Center, VFW Post 1384, the Long Beach Soup Kitchen, and Toys for Tots. It also supports Long Beach students by covering school-related expenses.

Aides to the Grand Marshal include James Dowling, Jean Duffy, Robert Prince, and Greg Schmalenberger, who will accompany the foundation in leading the parade.

Last year, Congressman Anthony D’Esposito was honored as the parade’s Grand Marshal.

The event typically features around 100 vendors offering food, rides, and more. Irish Day attracts several thousand attendees throughout the day, with many visiting local bars and restaurants, where live music is often performed.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians, founded in 1836 in Pennsylvania and New York City, is the oldest Irish Catholic organization in the U.S. Its history dates back 300 years to Ireland, and it has branches in Canada, Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland. The group helps new Irish immigrants adjust socially and financially while working to preserve Irish culture through arts, dance, music, and sports. The AOH also continues to advocate on key issues affecting the Irish community.

For more information on the organization and the event, visit the AOH Division 17 website at AOHLongBeachDiv17.org.