A neighborhood tradition rooted in family and resilience returned Saturday, March 28, as the 16th annual Gerritsen Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade stepped off along Gerritsen Avenue, drawing crowds of bundled-up spectators in green and gold to celebrate community.
What began as a heartfelt promise has grown into one of southern Brooklyn’s most beloved grassroots events. Founder Jim Donovan, who launched the parade in 2010 in honor of his late father, once recalled the unlikely origins of the march.
“My dad had gotten into an accident, and on his deathbed, he said he wanted a parade,” Donovan told Brooklyn Paper last year. “He died in February of 2010, and I said, ‘Okay, let’s have a parade.’ Everyone I spoke to told me, ‘You can’t do it…’ But I don’t take no for an answer.”
Sixteen years later, that determination was on full display as pipe bands, dancers and local groups made their way through the neighborhood.
“The parade was a spectacular success,” Donovan said. “The community was full of smiles and overall it was a grand day held by all.”
That sense of community extended beyond Gerritsen Beach for Donovan this season. In the weeks leading up to the local parade, he was honored across Brooklyn’s Irish-American parade circuit — serving as an aide at the 51st annual parade in Park Slope and marching with his pipe band in the Bay Ridge parade the weekend prior.
Despite the broader recognition, Saturday’s march remained deeply personal. Donovan, drum major of the Knights of Columbus Pipes and Drums Council #126, has long described the event as “a family affair,” with relatives playing key roles in organizing and marching year after year.
This year’s honorees included Grand Marshal Phil Parker, Irishman of the Year James Cappiello, and Irishwoman of the Year Kelly (Denver) Burke, each recognized for their contributions to the community and their role in keeping the neighborhood’s Irish heritage and traditions alive.
In all, 32 groups marched, Donovan said — all of them on time.
“This is our 16th year and we have never stepped off late,” he laughed. “Big accomplishment.”
