Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee hosts 24th annual dinner dance

Elected Officials, Clergy, Community Leaders Celebrate This Year’s Honorees

March 6, 2017 By John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle

2017 Honorees (back row, from left): Brendan Lally, Kevin Anderson, Msgr. Kieran Harrington, Christopher Byrne and Brian Xuereb. Front row from left: Mary Molloy Donnelly, Kristen Hayes, Kelly MacLellan Byrnes and Frances Gillen. Eagle photos by Arthur De Gaeta

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The 24th Annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance took place Saturday night at the Dyker Beach Club Golf Course, 1030 86th Street. The event introduced eight deputy marshals and Msgr. Kieran Harrington, vicar for communications for the Diocese of Brooklyn, who was named this year’s parade grand marshal.

This year’s deputy marshals are Brian G. Xuereb, of the AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians) Division 12, an Irish American Fraternal organization; Mary Malloy Donnelly, of the LAOH (Ladies of the Ancient Order of Hibernians) Division 22; Kevin Anderson of the FDNY; community leaders Christopher Byrne and Brendan Lally; community and parade volunteer Kelly MacLellan Byrnes; community volunteer Frances Gillen; and Catholic educator Kristen Hayes.

This year’s parade committee is headed by President Linda Gallagher-Lomanto and Vice President and Journal Coordinator Denise Frederick.

Honoree Brendan Lally thanked everyone involved in the Dance and Journal committees. “It was a great honor to be part of this group tonight,” he told the Brooklyn Eagle. “All the honorees are great people and more importantly are great fun! We all had a very enjoyable night I think — I know I did — and will be paying dearly for it tomorrow.’

State Sen. Marty Golden and his wife Colleen attended the event along with his Deputy Chief of Staff John Quaglione and Councilmember Vincent Gentile. Members of the clergy included Rev. Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello, vicar of development for the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn; and Rev. Gerard J. Sauer, pastor of St. Mel’s Church in Flushing, Queens.

The Dinner Dance served as the official kickoff for the upcoming Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 26. It begins with a Mass at St. Patrick’s Church, followed by a parade lineup at noon on Marine Avenue and 3rd Avenue, with the parade starting at 1 p.m. According to committee member Barbara Slattery, they did eventually run out of beer, proving that a good time was had by all.