Brooklyn pride took over the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade this past Friday when students and alumni from St. Joseph’s College took part in the annual celebration, which saw 150,000 marchers and over two million people watching.
St. Joseph’s College, located in Clinton Hill, has a Gaelic Society, comprised of students proud of their heritage and their friends, Irish or otherwise. The goal of the society is keep Irish culture alive through a series of events throughout the school year, including a St. Patrick’s Day party that took place earlier in the week before the parade, and featured Irish Soda Bread, Irish step dancers and traditional music.
Representatives of the college’s Brooklyn campus were also joined by compatriots from the school’s other campus located in Patchogue, Long Island.
Megan Finnerty, president of the Gaelic Society, honored both her school and her Irish roots, saying, “I felt a sense of unity between both campuses. We all shared a common identity as people from St. Joseph College, whether as current students or alumni. Marching in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is definitely a long-held tradition that should continue on in the St. Joseph’s community.”
Michele Cipriano, president of the college’s Student Government Association, returned to march again this year, and despite not being Irish herself, she certainly has school spirit. “Walking in the parade helps foster a sense of community within not only the St. Joseph’s College Brooklyn community, but also with the Long Island campus and even alumni,” she said.
Finnerty also acknowledged the attention that her school received. “A couple of people shouted things at us like ‘My nephew graduated from there’ or ‘I graduated from there’ and many people on the sides were chanting for St. Joseph’s,” she recalled.
While these students may not all share the same background, they were definitely excited to represent their school, and besides, “Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.”