Montclair Resident Named First Female Grand Marshal of Newark St. Patrick's Day Parade

When longtime Montclair resident Rosemarie Mellody takes the helm as the grand marshal of the Newark’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Friday afternoon, she will do so as the first female marshal in the parade’s 80-year history.

Mellody’s achievement was recently commended at the Montclair Township Council meeting on Tuesday with a congratulatory proclamation which “recognizes the many contributions that Rosemarie Mellody has made to the community, and joins with her family and friends in congratulating her on this most recent honor.”

First Ward Councilman William Hurlock, who read the proclamation during Tuesday’s meeting, stated that Mellody has been a resident of Montclair since 1978, where she and her husband raised her three children, all alums of the Montclair public school system.

Hurlock read a long list of Mellody’s achievements and contributions to the community, which he called “very impressive.”

According to a release, Mellody was born in Ballinamuck, County Longford, Ireland, and immigrated to the United States in 1964. She was employed for 20 years as a welfare representative for the Local 68 Welfare Fund in Fairfield, and is an active member of the Giblin Association, the County Longford Association of Greater New York, the John F. Cryan Association, the Nutley Irish American Association, the Montclair 4th of July Parade Committee and the US Golf Association.

In addition, Mellody is an avid runner who has participated in several local marathons.

“I’m honored and privileged to have been selected the first woman in the [parade’s] 80-year history,” Mellody told the council and those in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.

The parade will be held on Friday, March 13 at 1 p.m. [See related article for parade details, and information about other local St. Patrick’s Day events]

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