Irish on Long Island through the years

On March 14, 1965, Sean P. Keating, grand marshal of the Hempstead St. Patrick's Day parade, is joined by Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg and New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy on the reviewing stand on Main Street.

Siobhan Geerlings practices high-stepping during a solo Irish dancing competition at the Long Ireland Festival and 16th annual Feis in Plainview on September 18, 1988.

Denis O'Sullivan, Hugh Smith and Andrew Conlin, members of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, an association of Irish musicians, gather in Williston Park on September 12, 1993.

Ellen F. McKenna and Theresa E. O'Malley of the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens view of copy of the Book of Kells on loan from the Bank of Ireland, at the society's library in Mineola on March 8, 1991.

Donald Quigley of Hempstead takes a peek under the kilt of Tom Lindon as he talks to drummer Tony Morrisey on March 22, 1953. Both musicians were from the 9th Regiment Pipe Band in New York City.

Jack McElroy, left, of New Hyde Park, shows Patrick McKenna, of Jackson Heights, a tie that was sent to him from Ireland at the New Hyde Park Inn on March 17, 1953.

Ellen Sheridan, 3, of Hempstead, selects one of the buttons being sold by Matthew Donohue of Flushing during the St. Patrick's Day parade in Hempstead on March 22, 1953.

John Moran of New Hyde Park, grand marshal of the St. Patrick's Day parade in Hempstead, lifts his shillelagh to signal the start of the parade on March 22, 1955.

Michael O'Brien of Cedarhurst walks his Irish wolfhound Rory O'Moore in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Hempstead on March 13, 1955. The dog had won best in breed at a dog show held at Madison Square Garden.

Mike O'Brien of Cedarhurst and his Irish wolfhound Rory O'Moore at Kennedy Park in Hempstead. The pair led the St. Patrick's Day parade in Hempstead on March 11, 1956.

A group of Kilties marches past the reviewing stand on Main Street in Hempstead during the St. Patrick's Day parade on March 11, 1956. Hempstead Mayor William Guide and the Aides of the Irish Society watch from the stand.

Sandra Schlosser, captain of the twirlers from St. Agnes in Rockville Centre, with grand marshal Thomas Mackey at the St. Patrick's Day parade in Hempstead on March 16, 1958.

Susie Davis, 9, of Yaphank, takes photos at the Rocky Point St. Patrick's Day parade on March 15, 1959.

Sisters Bridget, 5, and Lynda Rose, 6, of Hempstead, stand in the rain to see the parade on March 15, 1959.

The Rev. Joseph Smith, John Gilhooly and Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg watch from the reviewing stand of the St. Patrick's Day parade in Hempstead on March 13, 1960. Smith was pastor of St. Thomas Church in West Hempstead, and Gilhooly was president of the Irish-American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens Counties.

John Gilhooly, president of the Irish-American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens Counties, at the St. Patrick's Day parade in Hempstead on March 13, 1960.

Sgt. Joseph Cerron of Uniondale leads McGillicuddy, an Irish wolfhound, down Main Street at the Hempstead St. Patrick's Day parade on March 15, 1959.

Mary Ellen Geary, 7, of St. Agnes Parish in Rockville Centre kisses the ring of Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg at the Hempstead St. Patrick's parade on March 13, 1960.

Hempstead's chief of police and acting mayor, John Feeley and Ralph Dauch, watch the St. Patrick's parade on Main Street in Hempstead on March 13, 1960.

Richard Zachary, 2, and his sister Frances, 5, of Bellerose, are all decked out for Hempstead's St. Patrick's parade on March 12, 1961, but don't seem to be in the mood to celebrate.

The Village of Patchogue renamed itself the Village of St. Patchogue for one day on March 16, 1962.

Lydia Brown, 4, of Hempstead, hands a bouquet of flowers to Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg at the reviewing stand for the St. Patrick's parade on Main Street in Hempstead on March 14, 1965.

Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg watch the St. Patrick's parade from the reviewing stand on March 14, 1965, in Hempstead.

Hempstead St. Patrick's parade Grand Marshal Sean P. Keating and Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg join Sen. Robert F. Kennedy on the parade viewing stand on March 14, 1965.

Pattie Hall, 6, of Islip, is dressed as St. Patrick for the parade on Montauk Highway in East Islip on March 16, 1969.

Nassau County Police Benevolent Association President Dan Greenwald sports a shamrock on his forehead as he marches down Fifth Avenue in New York City's Saint Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 1979.

George Semevolos, twin daughters Sarah and Jane, and son John watch the St. Patrick's parade as it passes by on Route 25A in Rocky Point on March 16, 1986.

The NYPD's Emerald Society Band marches down Main Street in East Islip's St. Patrick's parade on March 6, 1988.

Patrick Crea and Christopher McLaughlin, both 5, take turns blowing their horns as they march in the St. Patrick's parade in Garden City on March 6, 1988.

Andy Muller, honored as the founder of Rocky Point's St. Patrick's parade, waves to passing floats on March 13, 1988.

Members of Amityville's American Legion Pipe Band march in the St. Patrick's parade in Montauk on March 18, 1989.

Grand marshal Tom McCarrick leads the St. Patrick's parade in Rocky Point on March 12, 1989.

Grand Marshal Dennis O'Sullivan, parade Chairman Patrick Kearns and President of the Irish-American Society Theresa O'Malley plan for the St. Patrick's Day Parade from Garden City to Mineola on March 1, 1990.

Terri Kear and Al Giordano of Hicksville take a spin on the dance floor at a St. Patrick's Day senior citizen dance in Lido Beach on March 16, 1990.

Paralyzed NYPD Officer Steven McDonald leads Glen Cove's St. Patrick's Day parade as grand marshal on March 4, 1990.

Members of the honorary grand marshals, Operation Desert Shield, carry a banner filled with names of deployed U.S. military members during the St. Patrick's Day parade in Brentwood on March 2, 1991.

The Saffron Kilt Band marches in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Westhampton Beach on March 9, 1991.

Grand marshal of the St. Patrick's Day parade William J. MacGuffin marches down Franklin Avenue in Garden City on March 10, 1991.

The Brownies of Troop 991 are decked out for the St. Patrick's Day parade as they march down Route 25 in Miller Place on March 15, 1992.

Bagpipers from Amityville's American Legion lead Montauk's St. Patrick's Day parade on March 22, 1992.

Girls from the Redmond Academy of Irish Dancing teach boys from St. Mary's Children and Family Services the basics of Irish step dancing at the Milleridge Inn in Jericho on March 15, 1993.

Patchogue firefighter William Antonio poses with his fellow firefighters as they march in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Bayport on March 13, 1994.

Theresa Abbadessa practices Irish step dancing with her classmates at the Petri School of Irish Dancing in East Northport.

Siobhan Donaghy, left, and Theresa Abbadessa practice Irish step dancing at the Petri School of Irish Dancing in East Northport.

Petri School of Irish Dance students Katherine Whelan, Caitlin Burke, Chrissi Dunham, and Kate Gilmore perform outside Connolly Station on March 15, 2001.

Kathleen McGowan, Samantha Merritt, and Samantha Toth chat before a performance at the 27th annual Feis na Nollag at Westbury High School on Feb. 20, 2005.

Paul Scott of Port Washington earned a second-place trophy at the 27th annual Feis na Nollag on Feb. 20, 2005.

Patti Mackrell of Wyckoff, N.J., prepares for her performance at the 27th Annual Feis na Nollag at Westbury High School on Feb. 20, 2005.

A dancer watches as others line up at the 27th Annual Feis na Nollag at Westbury High School on Feb. 20, 2005.

Lorna Weyant paints a shamrock on Erin Gallagher's cheek at the annual Long Beach Irish Heritage Day Parade & Festival on Oct. 1, 2005.

Nicholas McNeill gets his head shaved during the St. Baldrick's Day event in Northport on March 7, 2008.

A leprechaun waves to the crowds during the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Lake Ronkonkoma on March 13, 2011.

Michael O'Connor of Bay Shore learns Gaelic at the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Babylon on March 3, 2011.

Raymond Clarke teaches Gaelic to students during a class at the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Babylon on March 3, 2011.

Santa Claus made a cameo in the Lake Ronkonkoma St. Patrick's Day Parade in a green sleigh on March 9, 2014.

A biker sporting a shamrock leather jacket leads a caravan of motorcycles in the 26th annual Glen Cove St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 23, 2014.

Nicholas Spano is dressed as a leprechaun on the St. Patrick's School float during the Bay Shore-Brightwaters St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 8, 2014.

Irish wolfhounds Shannon and Declan are held by their owner, Janice Preisz of Baldwin, at the Long Island Pet Expo at Suffolk County Community College on March 7, 2015.

Rededication

Andrew Healey of the Nassau County Board of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and Art Mattson, author and historian, attend the rededication of the Mariners Burying Ground at Rockville Cemetery in Lynbrook on Oct. 24, 2015.

Mariners Burial Ground in Rockville Cemetery in Lynbrook is rededicated Oct. 24, 2015.

The Mariner's Burial Ground in Rockville (Sand Hole) Cemetery in Lynbrook is dedicated Oct. 24, 2015.

Griffin and Crystal, giant schnauzers from Setauket, are cozy in their green shamrock jackets at the 2015 Montauk St. Patrick's Day Parade.

A shamrock painted on a rock in Crane Neck shows some Celtic pride.