By Dan Murphy
YONKERS — Walking up the Irish Emerald Isle of McLean Avenue for the Yonkers Saint Patrick’s Day Parade as Grand Marshall is a great honor. But serving as Grand Marshall one year after Cardinal Timothy Dolan presided over Westchester’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade are some big shoes to fill.
Once again, the Yonkers Saint Patrick’s Day Committee, with the help of committee member James Landy, has done it again and found the perfect Grand Marshall for the 2018 parade, Ambassador Ann Anderson, who served as the Irish Ambassador to the United States from 2013-2017.
“I’m excited about it and very much looking forward to it,” said Anderson. “I have not been to the parade in Yonkers, but it has a super reputation for its history and its size. I recently met with the Board members and took a good look at McLean Avenue and the Emerald Isle. I’m proud to be a part of a parade that is a festive and family focused and very inclusive.”
How did Ambassador Anderson get the call to be Grand Marshall? “I didn’t know Jim Landy until I met him last year. He knows my partner, who is New York based, a he is a surgeon at Montifiore Hospital. Im is the President of St. John’s Hospitalxx, which is affiliated with Montifiore. They got chatting and Jim came up with the idea, and this wonderful invitation arrived.”
Anderson joked that while she admits to be “walking in some very big shoes after Cardinal Dolan, I was also told to try not to try and shake every hand of every man, woman and child on the parade route, as the Cardinal did. They want to move things along a bit.”
Ambassador Anderson was born in Clonmel, County Tipperary. Her father was from Tipperary and her mother from Limerick. During her childhood, the family moved to Kilkenny, and later to Portane, County Dublin. Anne received her BA in History and Politics from University College Dublin and a Diploma in Legal Studies from King’s Inns.
Ambassador Anderson professional career has been in foreign service to Ireland and in breaking the glass ceiling in her various posts. She has been Ireland’s first female representative in her prior postings, when she entered the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1972. Following a range of assignments at home and abroad, she took up her first posting as Ambassador in 1995. Prior to her current assignment in DC, she has served as Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York (2009–2013); Ambassador to France (2005-2009); Permanent Representative of Ireland to the European Union, Brussels (2001-2005); and Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations, Geneva (1995-2001)
Her favorite post, was when she took up duty in Washington DC in August 2013 as Ireland’s 17th Ambassador to the United States, and the first female Ambassador. “Washington DC is really a special appointment and for an Irish person to become Irish ambassador is a dream come true for a diplomat.”
Anderson served for three and a half years during President Barrack Obama’s term. “I admire and respect President Obama, he is a man of ideas, passion and grace. I felt lucky to be there when he was in the White House.
During her Washington assignment, the Ambassador is particularly focussed on further strengthening Ireland-US economic, trade and investment links; highlighting Ireland’s interests in relation to reform of US immigration legislation; supporting US interest and engagement on key issues still to be fully addressed in Northern Ireland; and further deepening the vibrant cultural connections between the two countries.
Anderson’s work on immigration in Washington DC turn out to be unfulfilled, with the Senate passing an immigration reform bill but if falling short in the House of Representatives. “We worked very hard to further immigration reform during those years but we didn’t succeed. I always tried to bring home the fact that immigration also wears an Irish face and we have a significant number of undocumented Irish in the US. We worked hard to try and find a way to legitimatize their situation because they work hard, pay their taxes and their kids go to school and it would be such a relief to them. “
“And despite the rich history of Irish immigrants coming to America, it is extraordinarily difficult for Irish people to emigrate to the US today. Every Irish Prime Minister that come to the US every year always brings it up,” said Anderson.
When asked to describe the special relationship between Ireland and the United States, Anderson said, “There’s no question that its special. There are more than 40 million people of Irish descent in the US, we have family ties and ties of blood. America opened its arms to us during the great famine in the 1840’s and we have been coming here ever since.
But it has been a two-way relationship because we gave back a great deal to America; we built the roads and the docks and the railways. And we also helped to build the social fabric of the country through our service as police officers, fire fighters, teachers, community workers and trade unionists. And the Irish also went into political life on the local and national level.
Our special relationship continues today with economic investment, trade and tourism expanding at a strong rate. Based on our small size, Ireland and the Irish have made a large impact on the United States”
What is the difference between St. Patrick’s Day in the United States and in Ireland? “In the past, it was far more low key in Ireland but we have been slowly catching up and we credit Americans for putting the fun back in St. Patrick’s Day back home. We do wear some green clothes but we don’t drink green beer. It’s now like a carnival like atmosphere, with sports, music, and great fun.”
Ambassador Anderson retired last year from her 45 year career in foreign service for Ireland, retiring as the longest serving diplomat in Irish history. “It’s a very special experience to represent your country. I like to call it a sacred trust.
She now looks forward to another honor, this time in Yonkers, representing the Irish from home, and the Irish –Americans that will line the streets of McLean Avenue on March xx. Yonkers is lucky to have Ambassador Anne Anderson leading the procession this year.
The 63rd Annual Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on McLean Avenue on Saturday, March 24th, at 1pm. The aides to Grand Marshal Anderson are: Kevin Clifford, Shannon Daugherty, Denis Flavin, Christine Kenney O’Rourke, Joan Magoolaghan, Kayla M. Maher, Erin Loughran and Thomas P. Smyth.
The parade dinner will be held on March 10, at 630 pm, at Empire City Casino. Much more on the parade in the weeks to come, and visit yonkersstpatricksparade.org for more info.
