The Big Apple became the Emerald Isle Tuesday as thousands of Irish-flag-waving, shamrock-wearing New Yorkers filled Fifth Avenue for a St. Patrick’s Day Parade that even made a wee bit of history.
Among the green garbed groups celebrating the patron saint of Ireland was OUT@NBCUniversal, an employee group of gays and lesbians at NBC, which was the first of its kind to march in the 254-year history of the venerable parade.
“I’m beyond thrilled,” said Andrew Brewer, an NBC vice president who helped broker the deal allowing his group to march. “I’ve waited for this all my life, pretty much.”
New York’s NBC station, WNBC, is the official broadcaster of the parade.
Organizers lifted the ban after years of debate, but not everyone was happy with the development, including many who actually pushed for inclusion.
Mayor de Blasio stayed away for the second straight year, as did much of the City Council, who said one token group did not go far enough.
Traditionalists decried the change, saying that inclusion of gays mocked the sanctity of an event steeped in Catholic tradition.
Kevin Kennedy, 62, of Baldwin, opposes the change because acknowledging gays makes the event political.
“I don’t think they should be marching under different banners,” Kennedy said. “It’s not a political thing. Why can’t they march with one of the other groups? Why do they have to be separate? The point of today is to celebrate being Irish.”
Jim Clarke, 73, from Rockland County, doesn’t think the group should be allowed to march as a gay group.
“That’s not what the parade is about,” he said. “It’s just political pressure. To say gay people can’t march in the parade, that’s not true. They just can’t march under their own banners. It’s about Irish heritage and religion.”
Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the parade’s grand marshal, welcomed the newcomers.
“I’m glad everyone is welcome here,” Dolan said. “There’s no distinction. They’re all welcome and I’m glad they are.”
But, of course, not everyone was there — most notably de Blasio. Connie Winebold, 64, of Binghamton, was disappointed the mayor was a no-show.
“He should be here,” she said. “He’s the head honcho of New York City. Wouldn’t you think he’d be here?”
