The Button Man, Yonkers resident Dennis Dunn. Photo from Facebook
By Dan Murphy
As the 69th Annual Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day Parade on McLean Avenue kicks off this Saturday, one of my favorite things to do is to say hello to “The Button man” Dennis Dunn. Dunn has become one of the “Rock Stars” of the Yonkers parade, with hundreds wanting to get a photograph with him or just say Happy St. Patrick’s Day
But there was a time when the traditionalists in the parade committee didn’t really approve of The Button man. That changed once the parade moved from South Broadway to McLean Avenue, and Dennis can be found every parade day holding court outside Rory Dolan’s, which is a landmark for the parade and to get a bite or a drink…if you can get in.
Dunn has appeared on the Today Show and on many of the NBCTV NY’s coverage of the NYC Parade. And although there are other parades that The Button man can be found at, it is the mighty NYC parade, and the Yonkers Parade on McLean that he is most known for; Dunn can be found outside of St. Patrick’s Cathedral every St. Patrick’s Day.
How did this all come to be?
“I had a Blarney Stone sweater that was given to me by my grandmother the last time she went to Ireland, so I cherished that sweater. In 1981, when I was 18, I started going out to the pubs and would pin buttons on my sweater. It was a good way to meet girls, who would ask about the buttons.
“The collection grew, and as it did, it became harder and harder to find new buttons, so I started going back down to the parades to try to find new ones. When I went down to the parade, I became a media sensation – everybody wanted pictures with me. I just kept doing it, and here we are 40 years later, and I’m still going.
Dunn’s tall frame helps him stand out in the crowd of parade goers.
“People will see others coming up to me at the parade in New York City for photos and ask who I am. I’ll say -don’t you know, I’m the button man.’ It’s a lot of fun. I’ve been doing this for a long time.”
Dunn was born in the Bronx but moved with his family to Yonkers in 1978. After leaving Yonkers, he moved back to Yonkers for good.
To many Irish Americans, St. Patrick’s Day is a day to celebrate their Irish ancestry, and for Dunn, it is no different. “I grew up in an Irish family, so St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday for me. It’s a celebration of our Irish heritage.”
You can also find The Button man making the rounds along McLean Avenue to the many pubs, where he is always welcomed and appreciated after the parade.
“My 15 minutes of fame come this time every year. If you ever told me way back in 1981, I would be one of the most famous spectators of the St Paddy’s Day parade, I wouldn’t have believed you.”
The one thing that is so special about Dennis Dunn is how he has created this unique persona that has become a big part of the Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day parade. He has brought joy to thousands of parade attendees through the Button man.
And although my drinking days are behind me, I can’t think of another person I would enjoy hitting the pubs on McLean after the Yonkers parade.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Dennis, and thanks for all the memories and lives you have touched. The Button man is truly a Grand way of celebration, and it shows that there are different ways to celebrate your Irish heritage. And remember everyone is Irish for that day!
