Throngs of revelers crowded Main Road in Jamesport Saturday for the East End Emerald Society’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The soggy morning skies dried up in time for the 1 o’clock start of the parade, which drew dozens of marching bands, fire departments and community groups from across the region. Among them were the New York City Police Band and the Pipes and Drums of the Emerald Society of the New York City Police Department.
The NYPD Pipes and Drums paused on Main Road and turned to face Jamesport Cemetery to play “Amazing Grace” in memory of their fallen brother and Jamesport native, NYPD Det. Brian Simonseon, who is buried there. Simonsen was killed in the line of duty in February 2019.
The East End Emerald Society held the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade — Riverhead Town’s one and only — in 2014. It has taken place ever since except for a two-year pause in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A popular event, the parade has grown in both the number of participants and the size of the crowd each year.
The East End Emerald Society was founded in 2014 by five Irish-American friends — Sean O’Neill, Walter Magee, John Cuddy, Brandon Hewes and Richard Stephenson – to honor their heritage and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in their hometown of Jamesport.
The society picks a local resident to honor as grand marshal of the parade each year. This year, their choice was Anthony Meras, proprietor of Star Confectionery on Main Street in Riverhead. The aides to the grand marshal were James and Patricia Mangiacapre, owners of the Watershed Kitchen and Bar in South Jamesport.
Past grand marshals:
- 2014 Jack Cuddy
- 2015 Allen Smith
- 2016 Sean McCabe
- 2017 James Wooten
- 2018 Sean Walter
- 2019 Joseph Grattan
- 2022 Dawn Thomas (Aides: Kevin Carrick and Keri Najdzion)
- 2023: Patrick and Joann Waski (Aides: Joe Hartmann and Steve McKay)
- 2024 Linda and Leanne Simonsen (Aides: Tom and Mike Ferris)
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Emil Breitenbach Jr.
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