Marching under the “Respect Life” banner, a coalition of prolife citizens from Rockland and Orange County celebrated life at the Ancient Order of Hibernians St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Pearl River. It was a classic March 17, not a cloud in the sky and the cold wind whipping the flags as we marched along.  Respect Life marched right behind the Orange County AOH Pipe and Drum Band, and their great repertoire of Irish music from beginning to end only added to our spirit.  A great day!!

Members of the Rockland prolife community marched under the “Respect Life” banner last Sunday, in the Ancient Order of Hibernian’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Pearl River. It was a sunny, perfect March-like day, and the spectators  supported the group with applause along the entire parade route. Over 20 marchers were in the “Respect Life” contingent this year. See slide show below.

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HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!  The annual Rockland AOH St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place in Peal River, on Sunday, March 19. Everyone is invited to march with the Respect Life group.

We are in the 1st Battalion this year, just in front of St. Gregory Barbarigo School. The parade steps off at 1:30 pm, so please come to the Pfizer parking lot on Middletown Rd. by 1 pm. Ask one of the parade officials where the Respect Life group will be lining up.

Hope to see you there!

What could be a better time to celebrate life than St. Patrick’s Day!

It didn’t seem that way at first.

As the marchers assembled for the annual Rockland Ancient Order of Hibernians St. Patrick’s Day in Pearl River last Sunday, it was grey, bleak and raw, with the odd snowflake, and predictions of a storm on the way.

Ah, but keep the faith!

No sooner had the ‘Respect Life’ group left the Pfizer parking lot and marched up the hill to Middletown Road than the skies cleared, the sun came out, and the parade continued in glorious, golden, first-day-of-spring weather! St. Patrick was looking out for us all!

The crowd was a little sparse at the very beginning of the parade, but by the time we got to downtown Pearl River, the celebrants were out in full force.  And our ‘Respect Life’ group was met with applause along the entire route!

A little chilly and gray, but nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of the marchers in the Rockland Ancient Order of Hibernians’ 52nd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Pearl River — or the thousands who came to celebrate and cheer them on.

Here are some photos of the Respect Life group. (If you click on any photo below, a slideshow will appear, and you’ll be able to scroll through the enlarged images one by one.)

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be stepping off at 1:30 on Sunday, March 23 from the Pfizer parking lot on Middletown Road in Pearl River. The Respect Life group will be in the Fourth Battalion, so our group will probably not be getting underway until after 2 p.m.  We suggest that you get there by 1, but please keep in mind that parking in the Pfizer lot may be a problem the later you arrive.

We plan to be there by 12:30. When you arrive, walk over to where the marchers are assembling and ask one of the parade marshals where the Fourth Battalion is. Other groups in that battalion are St. Gregory’s and St. Paul’s schools, the North Rockland AOH and North Rockland HS marching band, so that should help you locate us.

Here are links from the Rockland County AOH website with more information: The Parade program with the full line of march and a map and parking details.

Also, earlier published on our site: Celebrate Life on St. Patrick’s Day (March 23).