Tipp man to be Grand Marshall of New York St Patrick's Day parade
Eva Osborne
A Tipperary man is to be the Grand Marshall of the St Patrick's Day parade in New York.
Author and community activist Martin Quinn from Bansha has been chosen by the County Tipperary N&B Association of New York. It is the first time that a person has been selected from outside the US.
Quinn is a prominent Tipperary-based community activist, former officer of the West County GAA Board, a past referee, and an author of two books, Tipperary People of Great Note and Tipperary Talks.
He is currently the Chair of the North Munster Citizens Information Service and Chair of the National Chairs Network for the Citizens Information Service.
The Tipperary Association in Dublin named him as the county’s Person of the Year in 2012.
"I am so thrilled to be selected as Grand Marshall. It will be a fabulous experience,” said Quinn.
“It felt like a dream as the messages about my selection came through.”
Quinn promotes Tipperary in the US through the Tipperary International Peace Award which has been awarded to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in 2001 after 9/11, President Bill Clinton in 2000, US Secretary of State John Kerry in 2015, Senator Ted Kennedy and Ambassador Jean Kennedy in 2009, Dr Richard Hass US Diplomat in 2013, Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary General in 2014, the Cluster Munitions Coalition in 2008, and MSF/Doctors Without Borders in 2023.
After performing his duties on March 17th, Quinn will also be Grand Marshall for the Yonkers Day Parade on March 21st.
