Hundreds Come Out For Eastchester St. Patrick's Day Parade

The Eastchester Irish American Social Club (EIASC) sponsored Eastchester’s 8^th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday. This year’s Grand Marshal was Phil Denning and Anna Phelan is the Parade Honoree.

"There's very good spirit. The weather's always been great. It's a great day to be Irish. We appreciate the community coming out and supporting the parade and the uniform services," Shawn Stewart, president of the local 916 Eastchester professional firefighters. "It makes us feel good that the community knows that we're out there for them. It just makes us really proud to work and live in the community."

The 2012 parade began at 3 p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church in Tuckahoe, marched north on Route 22 and ended at the Lake Isle Country Club. The parade featured 12 Pipe Bands, 20 Marching Bands and more than 50 marching groups, including the Police and Fire Departments and a United States Army unit.

"It's a great day. Everyone wants to get out in weather like this. At some points, it was 10-15 people deep," said Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino. "As the old saying goes, everyone's Irish on a day like this. Growing up in an Italian household, it wasn't until I got married that, as my wife would say, I married up. I have three kids with Italian last names and Irish names. I've learned a lot about Shepherd's Pie. It doesn't need parmesan to be good."

Denning emigrated from County Cavan in 1962 and has been an Eastchester resident for the past 35 years.  He and his wife, Mary, raised six children—Elizabeth, Michael, PJ, Doreen, Caroline and Neal—and have 17 grandchildren. He chose Michael, PJ and Neal as his Aides for the Parade.

His long list of accomplishments include:

• past President and Trustee of the EIASC
• member of the Tara Circle Board of Directors
• Cavan Men's Association and County Offlay Association
• Founding Member of The Links @ Unionvale Golf Club;
• Honoree for the Aishling Irish Center;
• member of the Screen Actors Guild since 2001,
• playing the role of Father Peterson in The Royal Tenenbaums. 

Anna Ascione Phelan was born in Naples, Italy and came to the United States in 1969 with her parents Mario and Concetta, and older brother Rick.  She is grateful that her parents had the courage to leave their homeland for America to give their children a better life and is very proud of the fact that she is the First Italian-American being honored by the EIASC.  Anna and her husband, John, moved to Eastchester 16 years ago and are the proud parents of three wonderful girls, Katie, Brigid and Maura.  She has been involved with the EIASC from the very beginning.  Anna can remember planning club events when there were only 100 members while she now has the privilege to run those same functions for over 350 people.

For more information, please visit their web site at www.eastchesterirish.org.

Note: Information on Denning and Phelan was used from Tim Murray's