In the fall of 1967, the New York City Saint Patrick’s Parade Committee announced its decision to acknowledge the contributions of the County Organizations and the Emerald Societies to the Irish American community. To this end, the committee increased the number of aides to the Grand Marshal in the 1968 parade from ten to twelve. The aide representing the United Irish Counties Association and the aide representing the National Grand Council of Irish Emerald Societies proudly joined the aides from the Ancient Order of Hibernians county boards of New York County, Bronx County, Queens County, Kings County, Richmond County, Rockland County, Nassau County, Orange County, Suffolk County, and Westchester County.
From 1968 to 1974, the National Grand Council of Irish Emerald Societies chose the Aide to Grand Marshal, who represented the Emerald Societies in the parade.
Since January 1975 the Grand Council of United Emerald Societies has been the governing body the selects the Aide to Grand Marshal who represents the Emerald Societies in the New York Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.
National Grand Council of Irish Emerald Societies
- 1968- William J. McGowan, NYPD ES
- 1969- Frank M. Brady, TBD*
- 1970- James Barney Ferguson^, NYPD ES
- 1971- Gerald O’Malley, TBD*
- 1972- James O’Meara, TBD*
- 1973- John P. Clark, NYCD ES
- 1974- Thomas Mongan, SCPD ES
^Notably, the 1970 Aide James Barney Ferguson also served as the Grand Marshal of the 1978 Parade.
Grand Council of United Emerald Societies
- 1975 – Frank Cull, FDNY ES
- 1976 – William Conklin, SCPD ES
- 1977 – Dr. Philip Bolger, NYCDOE ES
- 1978 – John Warne, NYPD ES
- 1979 – Gerald Sullivan, Con Edison ES
- 1980 – John P. McInerney, NYS Courts ES
- 1981 – Matthew Feeley, NYPD ES
- 1982 – Martin Harding, WCPES
- 1983 – Jerry Kruger, NYCHAPD ES
- 1984 – Tom Doyle, FDNY ES
- 1985 – James Harrington, NYPD ES
- 1986 – Kevin Clancy, TBD*
- 1987 – Dennis Mitchell, NYCDOE ES
- 1988– Peter Cassels, MABSTOA ES
- 1989 – TBD*
- 1990 – Thomas Connaughton, DSNY ES
- 1991 – Robert Algar, SCPO ES
- 1992 – TBD*
- 1993 – Charles Duffy Wagner, NYCHA ES
- 1994 – Michael P. Lavalle, NYCTA PD ES
- 1995 – Patrick Comaskey, US Customs ES
- 1996 – William Whelan, FDNY ES
- 1997 – Louis Walker, NCPES
- 1998 – Brian J. Sharkey, NYCD ES
- 1999 – Michael P. Donnegan, GCUES Legal Counsel
- 2000 – William Lawrence, Con Edison ES
- 2001 – Thomas Dunn, FDNY ES
- 2002 – Robert Goff, NYCHA ES
- 2003 – William Reilly, MABSTOA ES
- 2004 – James W. Byrne, SCPD ES
- 2005 – Frank Jordan, Telephone & Communication ES
- 2006 – Thomas Gormley, WCPES
- 2007 – Robert J. Earley, SCFF ES
- 2008 – Robert Gibson, TBTA ES
- 2009 – Dennis Mulcahy, NYPD ES
- 2010 – Bernard Sullivan, DSNY ES
- 2011 – Frank Beirne, FDNY ES
- 2012 – Hon. William Fitzpatrick, WCFF ES
- 2013 – Hon. Robert J. Creighton, SCPD ES
- 2014 – Edwin Day, Rockland County Executive
- 2015 – Thomas Doyle, DSNY ES
- 2016 – Keith Lavallee, GCUES Legal Counsel
- 2017 – Brian Coughlan, NYPD ES
- 2018 – Dr. Kathleen Cashin, NYCDOE ES
- 2019 – Thomas B. Farrell, NYCD ES
- 2020-2021 – Edward P. Boles, FDNY ES
- 2022 – Hon. Edward Grayson, DSNY ES
- 2023 – Patrick J. Lynch, NYPD ES
- 2024 – Hon. Edward T. Cetnar, PAPD ES
- 2025 – John Samuelsen, NYCTA ES
- 2026 – Hon. Patrick J. Ryder, NCPES
*We request your assistance in identifying the following TBD information*:
- Frank M. Brady-1969 Emerald Society affiliation
- Gerald O’Malley-1971 Emerald Society affiliation
- James O’Meara- 1972 Emerald Society affiliation
- Kevin Clancy- 1986 Emerald Society affiliation
- Name and Emerald Society affiliation of the 1989 Aide
- Name and Emerald Society affiliation of the 1992 Aide
This is an ongoing historical project kindly forward any relevant information to info@gcues.org.
Updated May 24, 2026
