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IT’S GOLDEN: 50 YEARS AND
COUNTING!!!
By:
Kathy Ewart
It’s the first Sunday in March. Everyone anxiously waits for the clock to hit
2:00PM. There they are, the buntings hanging outside the storefronts. People
gathering along Main Street donning their green, whether they are Irish or not,
and a little bundled up because of the slight chill in the air. However, the
early afternoon sun eventually takes a bit of the chill away. Spring is just
weeks away. There’s the smell of the ‘hot pretzels’ shopping cart. Kids ride
their bikes up and down Main Street. Some are even decorated! Souvenir carts
make their way down the street overflowing with green and white ‘Cat-In-The Hat’
hats, plastic green derbies, horns, balloons, and lots more. (If you are willing
to spend that kind of money!) It’s the day that brings our community (East
Islip, Islip, Islip Terrace and Great River) together for a few hours – A.O.H.’s
Division 7, St. Patrick’s Day Parade! We all have memories of this beloved
parade. It doesn’t matter if you live in the community a short time, lived here
forever, have moved away or made it a point to be in town just to be at this
parade. The memories are there and/or new ones will be made. This year, the
tradition continues as our beloved St. Patrick Day Parade celebrates it’s 50th
year – it’s Golden Anniversary! Going down Memory Lane, what a 50 years it has
been!
Every year, neighbors, friends and families meet at their “spot” to enjoy the
parade as it kicks off from The First National Bank of East Islip/Bank of
America. That “spot” is one of many place’s: the Waldbaum’s shopping center, the
East Islip Junior High School/Belfran/East Islip Fitness, Country Village
Pharmarcy/Country Village Pizza/the Meat Market/Rudy’s Card and Gift
shop/Carvel/Karp’s Liquor Store/Bernie’s Deli/Caroline’s Florist/King Kullen/Chapey’s
Funeral Home, Janel’s/Concord Cleaners shopping center, A&P/Pudgie’s,
Barrington’s/Shandon Court, Rita’s Italian Ices/Villa Enzo/Meson Ole/Hometown
Café, the infamous Collins Inn/Cactus Salon shopping center, Stanley’s Bakery,
Friendly’s, Potters, the East Islip Fire Department, the corner of Carlton and
Main – Woodland Diner and Bohack/Meat Farms/CVS, Bernstein’s, the Faculty
Pub/Gang Plank, the American Legion Hall, the corner of William and Main – East
Islip Paint and Wallpaper/East Islip Hardware and the Pool Hall across the
street, in front of the many businesses that dotted East Islip’s original Main
Street (the furniture store, Rudy’s Hair Salon, the religious store to name a
few) up to the Viewing Stand where the old St. Mary’s School stood, the Sand
Castle/Oscar’s Ale House and to the parade’s ending at Irish Lane. Everyone has
(or had) their favorite viewing spot. These days, folks even park their cars
overnight in the various parking lots to ensure they have their various spot.
I could not even think of writing this without mentioning those 50 and 60
somethings that meet each year in the vicinity of the old Collins Inn and at
Stanley’s Bakery. My hat is off to you all! You always did (and still do!) know
how to have a good time at this parade. Main Street turns into one big High
School reunion! It doesn’t matter what year you graduated East Islip High
School. One can easily run into someone they haven’t seen in years. It’s all
fun!
In recent years, during the parade, many businesses have reached out to the
community by giving out things. One such business is Chapey’s Funeral Home. At
their parking lot, they fire up the barbecue and are kind enough to give out
burgers, chips and soft drinks. It has become a nice tradition, which is
appreciated by the community.
Since the parade’s inception (and for many years after that), my family gathered
at Collins Inn. For about twenty years, my father wore his white shirt and green
tie as he worked the back bar (a makeshift bar put together with a piece of
plywood placed on top of the pool table),which was in the corner by the kitchen
door – the bar to go to for Irish Coffee lovers. As young as I was for the first
St. Patrick’s Day parade, I fondly remember Joe (a founding member of the
A.O.H.) and Catherine Collins gearing up for the sure to be busy day. Just a
short time later, Collins Inn was sold to Pete Bulfrin and Fintan Stapelton.
Believe me, the first Sunday in March the party continued.
It was (and still is) exciting to hear the bagpipes and see the A.O.H Division 7
Grand Marshal and members leading off the parade. I remember bystanders waving
or yelling to their siblings, sons and/or daughters and/or neighbors (or maybe
to one’s latest crush) as the East Islip High School Marching Band and Flag and
Pom-Pom girls marched on by. Who can forget St. Mary’s band? Then there was the
East Islip Fire Department volunteers, Ladies Auxiliary, Jr. Guzzlers (some of
whom made up the East Islip Fire Department Band, which eventually became the
Flamettes girls band) and fire trucks. Islip Terrace Fire Department marchers,
Starfires girls band and fire trucks were not too far behind. More bagpipes from
Babylon’s A.O.H. and other Irish organization bands were heard throughout the
parade. More fire trucks. For years, it was fun to watch the men who led the Bay
Shore and Brentwood Fire Department Bands. They were characters, but fully
enjoyed performing with their batons as the bands played behind them. The
Central Islip High School Band was always phenomenal. Of course, kids were
always on the lookout for the American Legion train to either gather up candy
being thrown or to cover their ears as loud bangs erupted! As the Great River
Fire Department Volunteers and trucks went by, one always knew the end of the
parade was near. It was definitely the end of the parade when the Exchange
Ambulance of the Islips Volunteers marched in front of their Cadillac ambulances
and their children waved from the rear of the ambulances.
For many years Collins Inn and the Hibernian Hall were the places to go after
the parade. Both places were standing room only. Eventually the East Islip Fire
Department held an annual carnival for people to go to after the parade. When
the Irish Coffee Pub opened it’s doors others made it their tradition to venture
there. Shandon Court has become another favorite post-parade destination. Still
others keep with family/neighborhood tradition and gather back at their house
for some good ol’ corned beef and cabbage.
I remember a handful of these parades taking place in bad weather. We’ve been
very lucky to have decent weather most of these first Sundays in March. Thank
you, A.O.H. Division 7, for keeping the St. Patrick Day Parade tradition going.
We’re looking forward to Sunday, March 1! To mark the Golden Anniversary of the
parade, all past Grand Marshals will be wearing their sashes as they march
behind Fr. Hugh of St. Mary’s. Be sure to give them all a big hand as they march
past you to let them know how much we appreciate all they have done and do to
continue the tradition.
I remember a handful of these parades taking place in bad weather. We’ve been
very lucky to have decent weather most of these first Sundays in March. Thank
you, A.O.H. Division 7, for keeping the St. Patrick Day Parade tradition going.
We’re looking forward to Sunday, March 1! To mark the Golden Anniversary of the
parade, all past Grand Marshals will be wearing their sashes as they march
behind Fr. Hugh of St. Mary’s. Be sure to give them all a big hand as they march
past you to let them know how much we appreciate all they have done and do to
continue the tradition.
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