Pearl River –
St. Patrick’s Day
Every March, on the Sunday following the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City, the streets of Pearl River come alive with the skirl of bagpipes, the sight of an emerald-green line painted down Central Avenue, and the unmistakable energy of a community deeply proud of its Irish roots.
But in Pearl River, being Irish or Irish American isn’t just a one-day celebration—it’s a way of life, 365 days a year.
Known as the “most Irish town in New York State,” this hamlet is home to the largest Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), the nation’s largest Irish organization. Founded in 1836, the AOH was established to protect newly arrived Irish Catholics and their churches from anti-immigrant hostility. Today, the division continues its mission of preserving Irish heritage and fostering community pride.
The Rockland Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) hosts North America’s largest facility for traditional Irish sports, preserving the 3,000-year-old Irish sport of hurling and Gaelic football for future generations. Meanwhile, local Irish dance and music schools turn out world-class competitors, with many students earning top honors in prestigious competitions held in Ireland.
How did this small town become such a stronghold of Irish identity?
And what keeps its traditions alive today?
The growth of Pearl River is inexorably tied to the rise of the Irish American community. As the post-WWII suburban housing boom began, Irish America was realizing the American dream. Immigrant Irish and first-generation Irish Americans were moving beyond the traditional roles of laborers: they were now cops, firemen, teachers, and nurses. Many had served in World War II and Korea and used G.I. loans to leave city enclaves for homes where their children could grow up with space to play and fresh air. With its turn-of-the-century town center, Pearl River reminded many of the towns at home and boasted mass transit back to the city where they worked.
The Irish have always been about community; their sad history, from harsh Penal Laws to the Great Hunger, shows that they could not have survived as an identity without it. They brought this feeling of community with them to America and Pearl River. Even today, a call will go out if a community member is in need, and the response is overwhelming. This deep sense of community is rare today. Despite high costs, many children of the Irish American community return to Pearl River to raise children within the strong bonds of the community.
There is, of course, the parade. What may be surprising to some is that Pearl River was not the only Irish enclave in Rockland. The town of Suffern was initially named “New Antrim” after the home of its Irish founder, John Suffern. The Irish had been in Haverstraw for generations, working in its brickworks till the economic collapse of the Great Depression. With the booming of Rockland and the influx of Irish Americans moving to the suburbs, a critical mass was achieved that gave birth to a Rockland County celebration of St. Patrick and the homeland of so many residents. A parade was organized under the auspices of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
St. Patrick’s Day holds a special place in the heart of Irish Americans, not only because it is the feast day of the patron Saint of Ireland but because it is a reminder of “where you came from.” Ireland’s history has always been intimate, passed down from generation to generation like a great Celtic knot. St. Patrick’s Day has always been a reminder and renewal of that obligation.
Initially, the parade was held in New City, as the County seat and its first Grand Marshal was Msgr. Stanislaus J. McGovern of Spring Valley. The original idea was that the parade would rotate among the communities of Rockland. However, Pearl River’s logistical advantages—its wide streets and natural staging area at Lederle (now Pfizer) Labs—made it the parade’s permanent home. A side effect is that the parade has become a commercial for Pearl River for the Irish community; more than a few people have come for the parade and, being charmed by Pearl River, later made it home.
For Pearl River’s Irish, St. Patrick’s Day is more than a parade—it’s a testament to identity and community. Its true legacy lies in the families who built their lives here, the traditions that endure, and the bonds that tie generations together. Being Irish isn’t just about the past—it’s about carrying it forward, step by step, down Central Avenue.
Written by: Neil Cosgrove
Chair, National Irish American Heritage Month
Member, AOH 3 Pearl River