The 48th annual Greenwich St. Patrick’s Parade, a celebration of Irish heritage and community spirit, is scheduled for this Sunday, March 17. The parade will commence at 2:00 PM at the Town Hall when Police Officer James Ketterer blows the ceremonial starting whistle. Ketterer’s Irish ancestors came from County Mayo in Ireland. After leaving Town Hall the Parade will head up Field Point Road to US 1 up to the top of Greenwich Avenue then down the length of the Avenue.
This year’s parade will be the largest in parade history. Participants in the parade are advised that shuttle buses will be available, transporting marchers from the Island Beach parking lot, where the parade concludes, to the starting point at the Town Hall.
The Greenwich Hibernian Association is excited to celebrate its Irish Heritage by sponsoring the parade which will be led by the Grand Marshal, Thomas Byrne. Byrne’s ancestral roots trace back to Glendalough, County Wicklow, Ireland. His great-greatgrandparents, Patrick Byrne and Anna Healy, embarked on a significant migration from Ireland to New York in the mid-19th century, laying the foundations of a family legacy marked by resilience and community engagement.
His commitment to public service is evidenced by his extensive involvement in local government. Remarkably, Byrne’s tenure as the Moderator of the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting (RTM) spanned 26 years, setting a record.
Byrne’s Irish heritage extends to his wife, Megan, whose ancestry also hails from Ireland, specifically County Mayo.
The St. Patrick’s Parade, an event Byrne has consistently attended since his move to Greenwich in 1984, symbolizes not just cultural festivity but also a celebration of roots and familial journey. Byrne perceives leading the parade as an opportunity to honor his family’s legacy and the broader story of immigrants
