Irish pride on parade

Rockaway was awash in green over the weekend as thousands turned out for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade as it wound its way down Rockaway Beach Boulevard.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and Councilmembers Eric Ulrich, Elizabeth Crowley and Eric Gioia were in attendance, among others, on Saturday, March 7.
“It was a great day for Rockaway and for the Irish community,” said Ulrich. “It was a lot of fun.”
From long-time residents to first-timers, the parade was a family affair.
Joseph Keenan, a resident who “loves Rockaway,” had his parents in from Brooklyn. Grandma and grandpa happily watched the sea of green – from the decked-out fire trucks to the traditional Irish dancers – with siblings Alyssa, 3, and Michael, 5 months, and cousin Kasey Resker, 2, who said her favorite part was the “puppy dogs.”
Peter Colleran of Breezy Point was also there with his four children, ages 9, 7, 4 and 3, and their cousins.
The family looks forward to the parade each year, and Casey, 9, told The Courier that she likes “watching my school [P.S./M.S. 114].”
Even pets got in the Irish spirit.
Rockaway resident Don Howard’s schnauzer “General Jackson” and his sister “Bella” donned green for the occasion and watched from the sidelines.