Fighting 69th leads New York's St. Patrick's Day parade

Their bellies satiated with a traditional breakfast that included nutty black pudding and calorie-packed Irish soda bread, more than 1,100 soldiers from the New York National Guard's Fighting 69th kicked off Manhattan's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade Tuesday morning along Fifth Avenue.

With its largest parade contingent ever, the Fighting 69th was led by Ranger Seth Morgulas, 38, of Manhattan, an NYPD mounted contingent, a bagpiper and four formations of troops dressed in Army desert fatigues and black berets adorned with boxwoods -- in remembrance of plants worn by unit soldiers for the North back in the Civil War.

- Click here to see the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade photos

The group, first formed in 1849 as the 9th Regiment of the New York State Militia, is an Irish-heritage unit -- and has anchored the nation's best-known St. Patrick's Day celebration since 1851. Legend in battle dating to the Civil War, where its soldiers harkened a battle cry of "Fág An Bealach" -- Gaelic for "Clear the Way" -- the contingent from the Fighting 69th this year included 319 soldiers who returned in January from Afghanistan.

"We have the unit back together and we're trying to boost the city's spirits," Spc. Mark Dudenhoffer, 27, of Islip Terrace, said. "Nothing's going to stop us now."

As Infantry Sgt. Robert Bacon, 42, of Hampton Bays, said of marching in the parade: "It feels damn good . . . We have been talking about this day since we were in Afghanistan and it is finally here."

Half of the troops came in from Long Island, arriving before dawn to take part in the traditional Irish breakfast at the Lexington Avenue Armory.

That was followed by an invitation-only Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral with Cardinal Edward Egan, who was attending his last parade as cardinal of the Archdiocese of New York.

Egan, who is retiring this year, stood on an ornate green rug with green shamrocks as he waved to the crowd.

One of the parade directors, Frank Comerford, 53, of Brooklyn, said he has come to the celebration every year since he was in high school.

"This is a great day," Comerford said. "It's great seeing everyone out here celebrating the history and our culture."

- Click here to see photos from Ireland's St. Patrick's Day celebrations

Even Mayor Michael Bloomberg was Irish Tuesday, attending Mass at St. Patrick's after hosting a breakfast at Gracie Mansion. And Gov. David A. Paterson, former Gov. George Pataki, City Council speaker Christine Quinn and three ministers from Ireland also were in attendance, Comerford said.

Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly were among the marchers as the parade wound its way up Fifth Avenue, starting at 44th Street.

The streets were packed, lined with raucous, exuberant paradegoers who yelled and screamed in support and celebration as troops and other marchers strode past.

Members of Siol na h'Eireann, a pipe and drum band from Selden whose name means soil and children of Ireland, were thrilled to be a part of the celebration, as well.

"Everything about piping boils down to this parade," Vincent Robinson said. "It's the highlight of my year -- and it's an honor to march in New York City. The feeling you get when you turn onto Fifth Avenue -- oh, there's nothing like it. Those throngs of people are ten deep and waiting to hear you. You feel like you're walking on pillows of air."

An Irish couple living in London said they made the trek to Manhattan just for the parade.

Michael Hurley, 57, originally from Cork City, and his fiancee, Kathleen Boyle, 54, who originally is from Donnegal, wore green-sequined hats -- and thick orange, white and green scarves, the colors of the flag of Ireland.

"It's lovely," Hurley said. "We got here Monday and people are so friendly. We were recommended to come to the parade and it's so good."

For a change the weather was good too, with temperatures in the 50s. In recent years parade goers suffered through drenching rains -- and even six inches of snow -- but not so this year.

The 69th has led the parade every year since its 1851 inception as "The Second Irish Regiment," when it was tagged with the responsibility of protecting marchers from the anti-Irish violence of the day.

Last year, some 300 members of the 69th Infantry Regiment volunteered to serve in Afghanistan alongside soldiers from other units. At least three soldiers from the mixed unit were killed in action or later died from wounds sustained there.

"It's celebratory because the troops are home, but it's bittersweet because we lost some guys who were killed or seriously wounded back there," said Fighting 69th 1st Lt. Lou Delli-Pizzi, of West Islip.

"It's great, because this is the most famous and longest-running parade in the country."

The last marchers were not expected to reach the 86th Street finish before 4 p.m., but members of the 69th expected to be back at the Armory by then, where pints and other Irish fare awaited them.

Delli-Pizzi, who traces part of his lineage to northern Italy, said he expects to be fully engaged in the spirit of the day.

"Once you're in the 69th, you're all Irish," he said. "Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, even a Delli-Pizzi."

Pervaiz Shallwani, Sarah Portlock and staff writer Martin C. Evans contributed to this story.

- Click here to see the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade photos

- Click here to see X-Team photos from the Rocky Point parade

- Click here to see X-Team photos from the St. James parade

- Click here to see more photos and coverage of St. Patrick's Day on Long Island

- Click here to see photos from Ireland's St. Patrick's Day celebrations