COUNTY LAOIS ASSOCIATION NEW YORK
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Wednesday, March 17, 2021
We hope that all our members, their families and friends are safe and healthy. For the families of those who passed, we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences. Though the pandemic seems to be lasting longer than most people expected, the good news is that the vaccines were developed in record time and now are being administered in every State with over 78 million doses used already. Let us all hope for the day when restaurants, hotels, airlines and other businesses become fully open and we return to normal life.
As you may know already, this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade up 5th Avenue in Manhattan is canceled. The Parade Committee expects that next year’s Parade will be back to normal. Since the Parade will not be held in-person this year, the Committee invites you to join them virtually as they honor FIRST RESPONDERS and ESSENTIAL WORKERS who have made enormous sacrifices this past year. The Parade Committee has selected 18 first responders and essential workers to represent their Organizations in this Virtual Parade. The listing is on the Parade’s website. The virtual Parade will consist of excerpts from previous Parades and recorded performances for this year’s event. On March 17th, you can view this on:
- Facebook: facebook.com/NYCStPatricksDayParade
- Twitter: @StPatsParadeNYC
- Parade’s website: NYCStPatricksParade.org
- Television: NBC (possibly)
Our thoughts and prayers are also with Larry McEvoy, our stalwart Vice-President. Since last summer, he has been battling an aggressive form of cancer, with the devoted support and help of his wife Judy and four sons and their families. He is in his final stages of treatment and we wish him a complete and speedy recovery. Larry normally generates this Press Release every year, and we are looking forward to his return to good health.
Mike Dunphy, President, (973) 886-6097, mike.dunphy@att.net
Larry McEvoy, Vice President, (917) 833-3218, larrymcevoy2@gmail.com
We ask for your prayers for our ill and deceased members, and please let us know about any other members who are ill or have passed away.
Bill McEvoy passed away peacefully from natural causes at the age of 97. Bill, our loyal senior statesman, has led our County up 5th Avenue in our front line for many years, even in recent years when he required the use of a wheelchair. Bill continued his great life’s work with the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in the U.S. and Canada, which he founded in the 1960s. Bill is survived by his nine children, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. The Laois Association will miss his presence next year as he was one of our most enthusiastic and optimistic members. Neither rain nor snow nor sleet prevented Bill from making that long trip from Long Island to march with us every year.
Brigid Lawlor recently passed away after being hospitalized with COVID. Brigid was from Abbeyleix and was a nurse in Dublin before emigrating to America. Brigid and her husband Tom marched with Laois every year until 1985 when they moved back to Ireland with their children Sheila and Garrett. Tom, a driving force with the Laois Association New York for years, had just retired as a detective with the NYPD. In recent years, Brigid and Tom would return regularly to New York for St. Patrick’s Day. Brigid had an engaging personality and was a very charming, friendly person, sincerely loved by all who knew her.
John Erlinger recently passed away due to non-COVID respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. John traced his roots to Knockaderry, Co. Limerick. He and his wife Rosemary traveled from Los Angeles to march with Laois every year since their son Mike married my daughter Laura in 2002. Also, they often traveled to Ireland and loved to visit Fr. Noel Dunphy in Mountmellick. John was a deeply religious person heavily involved in his parish, and he also loved to spend time with his three children, Mike, Joe and Cathy, and five grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by all of us.
Important Websites
NY Co. Laois Assn: www.nylaoisassociation.com. And please follow us on Facebook.
United Irish Counties: uicany.org
Laois news from Ireland: laoistoday.ie
