Great honour for Limerick man to lead St Patrick’s Day Parade in New York
Michael Benn was born and raised in the city
MICHAEL Benn first saw the St Patrick’s Day Parade in New York as a wide-eyed teenager in the 1960s after his family left Limerick for America.
Some sixty years on the man from Clare Street in the city will be the grand marshal for the largest St Patrick’s Day parade in the world next year. He joins a long list, dating back to 1762, which include household names like Maureen O’Hara, Senator George Mitchell and Albert Reynolds to name but a few.
“And now you have a little Limerick man in between the whole lot of them,” laughs Mr Benn from the other side of the Atlantic. He can vividly remember seeing his first parade when he was 14 /15.
The city that never sleeps comes to a standstill on March 17.
“It’s not just in the Irish calendar - you talk about St Patrick's Day, March 17, and everybody in the world knows the focus is on Fifth Avenue in New York,” said Mr Benn, who spoke of the parade’s importance in bringing communities together.
His family in America and Limerick are very proud of the honour after he was unanimously appointed. Mr Benn met and married Christina in New York but she was born and raised from Vizes Field in Limerick.
They have six children - Michael, Richard, William, Brendan, Patrick and Tara - and 11 grandchildren. Mr Benn proudly served as a sergeant in the US Army from 1969 through 1972 before embarking on a successful career in the construction industry.
He admits he will be nervous on the morning of March 17, 2025.
“To be honest with you, I'm still getting used to the idea,” he smiled.
Sean Lane, chair of the NYC St Patrick's Day Parade, said they are delighted to honour Mr Benn for his many years of community service.
These include over 25 years running the Queens County Parade, 20 years as producer/director of an Suil Na Gael TV promoting Irish culture, his service as a sergeant in the US Army, and his many years working to promote unions and the rights of workers.