Vintage St. Patrick's Day photos: How LI was celebrating in the 1950s and beyond
In March, Long Island goes green.
Throughout the month, pride in Irish culture and heritage will be on full display, with at least 25 parades planned from Mineola to Montauk (plus, of course, the big parade in Manhattan and marches in Queens.) It’s a tradition that goes back decades on the Island, as Irish Americans have come together to celebrate their roots. They have often been joined by members of the Catholic Church, politicians like Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and even McGillicuddy, the Irish wolfhound.
All of the photos seen here are pulled from Newsday’s archives. You can check out more pictures from the Long Island of yesteryear at the Vintage Newsday Instagram account — you’ll know it by the circular photo of Newsday’s first female photographer, Edna Murray, circa 1945.
Oh, and — Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
— KIM PREDHAM, LI LIFE EDITOR
1955
![Michael O'Brien, of Cedarhurst, walks his Irish wolfhound Rory O'Moore...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AMDkyOGU3MGEtODc0MC00%3AMGY0NzRk%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
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. Credit: Newsday/Bill Sullivan
1956
![A group of Kilties march past the reviewing stand on...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AZDk4OTNiNTEtODAzOC00%3AOWRmNGMz%2Fscreenshot_2024-03-06_at_-jpg.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
A group of Kilties march past the reviewing stand on Main Street in Hempstead during the St. Patrick's Day parade on March 11, 1956. Credit: Jim Nightingale
1958
![Sandra Schlosser, captain of the twirlers from St. Agnes in...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3ANzcyZGE1ZDItMDhmYi00%3ANjY0MzAz%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Sandra Schlosser, captain of the twirlers from St. Agnes in Rockville Centre, poses with Grand Marshal Thomas Mackey at the St. Patrick's Day parade in Hempstead on March 16, 1958. Credit: Newsday/Bill Sullivan
1959
![Susie Davis, 9, of Yaphank, takes photos at the Rocky...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AYzkzNTdjY2ItNjE2Ny00%3AMTliMzI2%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Susie Davis, 9, of Yaphank, takes photos at the Rocky Point St. Patrick's Day parade on March 15, 1959. Credit: Newsday/Max Heine
1960
![Hempstead's chief of police, John Feeley, with Ralph Dauch at...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AZTg2MGQ4ZWUtZTkwMi00%3AYjAyMjlk%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Hempstead's chief of police, John Feeley, with Ralph Dauch at the St. Patrick's Day parade on Main Street in Hempstead on March 13. 1960. Credit: Newsday/Dick Nightingale
1961
![Richard Zachary, 2, and his sister Frances, 5, of Bellrose,...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AYTdhMTM1ZTItMzBhNi00%3AOGY5NTI2%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Richard Zachary, 2, and his sister Frances, 5, of Bellrose, are all decked out for Hempstead's St. Patrick's Day parade on March 12, 1961, but don't seem to be in the mood to celebrate. Credit: Newsday/Dick Kraus
1965
![Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg watch...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3ANGU4MDVhODAtYmQ0NS00%3AMDZhNjRj%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg watch the St. Patrick's Day parade from the reviewing stand on March 14, 1965 in Hempstead. Credit: Newsday/Dick Kraus
1969
![Pattie Hall, 6, of Islip, is dressed as St. Patrick...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AMWI4NWNhYjAtMDkyMC00%3AMjNmYTAx%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Pattie Hall, 6, of Islip, is dressed as St. Patrick for the parade on Montauk Highway in East Islip on March 16, 1969. Credit: Newsday/Richard Benjamin
1988
![Patrick Crea and Christopher McLaughlin, both 5 and with a...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AY2Q5OWNkNWItMTY3Zi00%3AZDQxNmM0%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Patrick Crea and Christopher McLaughlin, both 5 and with a Mineola Irish American group, take turns blowing their horns as they march in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Garden City on March 6, 1988. Credit: Newsday/Karen Wiles Stabile
1989
![Grand Marshal Tom McCarrick leads the St. Patrick's Day parade...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AZDI2OTA2NjYtMzFkNS00%3AODcwYWU1%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Grand Marshal Tom McCarrick leads the St. Patrick's Day parade in Rocky Point on March 12, 1989. Credit: Newsday/Bill Davis
1990
![Terri Kear and Al Giordano, of Hicksville, take a spin...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AMjQ4MDU5YjItMzNkZS00%3ANjE4YTAy%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
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. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams, Jr.
1991
![Grand Marshal William J. MacGuffin marches down Franklin Avenue in...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3ANTFiNTJhMDAtNTdjYS00%3AYzI3MTgy%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Grand Marshal William J. MacGuffin marches down Franklin Avenue in Garden City on March 10, 1991. Credit: Newsday/Thomas R. Koeniges
1992
![Bagpipers from Amityville's American Legion lead Montauk's Saint Patrick's Day...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3ANDllZTQ3ODgtY2ViMy00%3AMWExZWI4%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Bagpipers from Amityville's American Legion lead Montauk's Saint Patrick's Day parade on March 22, 1992. Credit: Newsday/John H. Cornell, Jr.
1993
![Girls from the Redmond Academy of Irish Dancing teach boys...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AYjYwYTNlM2EtNDc3Yi00%3AOTcyMjJj%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
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. Credit: Newsday/Ken Spencer
1994
![Patchogue firefighter William Antonio poses with his fellow firemen as...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AZTA4NzAyZTUtMDc2NS00%3AZTk0YWMy%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Patchogue firefighter William Antonio poses with his fellow firemen as they march in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Bayport on March 13, 1994. Credit: Newsday/David L. Pokress
2016
![Steven Melendez marches with a gay pride group at the...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AZjU3YTZmMWYtYjY1OS00%3ANDdkOWMx%2Flfcov240303.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Steven Melendez marches with a gay pride group at the the 255th annual New York City St. Patrick's Day parade on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on March 17, 2016. Credit: John Roca
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3ANmEwODdhYzMtMDJjZi00%3AYjE4OTJh%2Fb7461-mp4-20_44_11_12-still001-jpg.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3ANmEwODdhYzMtMDJjZi00%3AYjE4OTJh%2Fb7461-mp4-20_44_11_12-still001-jpg.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.