Under a gray sky, a field of white Fordham University hats marked the area where Rams and Ram supporters marched in the 165th St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City. The caps, which had the classic Fordham Block-F on front and a shamrock in the back, were given to the University supporters who would walk up Fifth Avenue for the yearly parade–just as members of the Fordham community have been doing since 1937.
The group, which began their march at 45th St. and 5th Avenue, included Joseph M. McShane, SJ, president of Fordham. Father McShane led the group through the streets, and when passing St. Patrick’s Cathedral midway through the route, stopped to hand a bouquet of flowers to the delegation representing Timothy Cardinal Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York.
“Yesterday’s St. Patrick’s Day Brunch was one of the most well attended in recent history,” said Shannon Hirrel, FCRH ’10, assistant director of Alumni Relations, NYC Programming, “and the Fordham community continued it’s strong representation at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This event is a wonderful opportunity for our Fordham family to celebrate our Irish heritage together.”
The parade’s Grand Marshall was former Maine Senator George J. Mitchell, who was the commencement speaker at the Fordham graduation ceremony in 1999. One of Sen. Mitchell’s aides is alumna Bridget Hanretta O’Brien, FCRH ’98, GSE ’01. (Photos by Chris Taggart: Music by Slainte)
