Belmar Parade 2010 Photos

With so many photos to choose from (over 700) it was difficult to choose but choose I did. This slide show is just a sampling of the final selection. A DVD is being prepared and will be available to users upon request. 

Photos were submitted by Alan Purcell, Ron Keavney, John Reilly, Dave & Barbara Cummins, Joe and Siobhan Mulvanerton.

FSOS Shines on Belmar Parade Day

This year I had somewhere in the region of 700 photos to sift through (still sifting). What moves me most in all of them are the smiles. Whether they're Irish, Scottish, Polish, Italian, German or even French (just kidding we forgive you for the world cup) all the eyes are smiling.

Belmar Parade Day arrived and we could not have asked for a better one. Of course as Parade Adjutant I was quite the important fellow on this day. Apparently the wife and kids didn't get that memo. The dog was only vaguely interested in why I looked like a green penguin. And so it was, with my sense of self importance corrected that I headed out to the club. Empty at 8:30am full at 9:00am we are nothing if not efficient on St. Patrick's day. Couldn't swing a shillelagh without hitting a law suit. Smiles, handshakes, a wonderful mass, Thank You Father, the ceremony at the memorial, because we never forget, we never forget. So many special moments in this day, so many.

"Hey, we need a keg of Smithwicks." Another memory, two guys in top hat and tails fetching a keg... oh yes, definitely staying earthbound today.

We departed a little on the late side for Belmar. What can I say, Maureen was determined that Mac would be the prettiest. He came close, but I don't think anyone was more proud. No one that saw Mac that day couldn't have missed the broad smile that was on his face at 8:30am and when last I saw him as I left that night it was still beaming.

Special thanks to the Belmar parade committee for the warm welcome down there. Charlie Donnelly knew we were stuck in traffic and held the fort until we landed. I think Bobby Quinn and Jimmy Byrnes could hardly wait for me to arrive at the jump off point knowing we were late. "Yeah, Dave, eh yeah, I think you have to head over to the table yeah, eh over there, yeah. Just eh, sign in." The two of them nodding as they do, "Yeah, over there they waved." Well the ladies manning the parade check-in looked a little stressed. Okay, they looked a lot stressed and I was unarmed. With top hat and green cumberbund I wasn't exactly camouflaged, so running was pointless. They were ready to hang someone, but I think they picked up on my deer in the headlights look pretty quick and took mercy. Thank you ladies. Felt like Tom Sawyer with the apple as I walked back past the two boys... better luck with next years victim.

With the sunniest day on record for many years we stepped off, hands waving, flags flying, kilts not, everything was perfect. For me it went by all too fast. Seeing the transformation as onlookers at first watched the men in black with raised eyebrows became cheering kids once again as we called out "Are there any Irish here?" and then went back and forth with each side of the street declaring that there were more Irish on their side. We danced the cha cha with the kids as parents snapped away... even Mac danced. I saw it. Started with a little shrug of the shoulders and well pretty soon he shimmied to the left, shimmied to the right, shimmied to the left, shimmied to the right. Mac's a big guy so when he shimmies people pay attention. I thought River Dance was about to get some competition but thank God for Tiny and we were off again.

As the buses arrived back at the club the festivities got into high gear on Oak Street. Irish rock, trad and folk music was the order of the day in the bar and the World Famous McCarthy Brothers got the crowd going in the FSOS Hall. Friends from far and near were there. We celebrated into night, and as the music played, friends laughed and friends hugged. They moved from group to group. More like a family reunion where everybody knows everybody. And just as with family we can't come straight out and say, "Wow, great to see ye". As a race we're cursed with the inability to express outright affection without a little mischief thrown in for good measure. "Haven't seen you since last year." "And it'll be a year before ye see me again... please God", "Will ye have a beer?" more laughter and smiles, always the smiles. Well, after all, it was St. Patrick's Day at the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh, so we had plenty to smile about.  

More Photos will be available in the gallery in the coming days.

Very special thanks to Alan Purcell for all the photography.

Memorial Day Parade

It was a beautiful day for a parade as our proud veterans led the way along the route through Lawrence Harbor. And directly behind the veterans were the FSOS Pipes and Drums. As the parade wound its way from Memorial School to its end by the Lawrence Harbor Firehouse we were greeted by the cheers and applause of the grateful onlookers. The video below has captured some nice footage of the band doing what they do best, giving the parade watchers something to cheer for. On a separate note... things are a little tight in the Bohanan household these days. You can see just how tight by checking out the parade photos and video. Dennis drove his car behind us. Next year he hopes to drive the other half of the car... once its finished. All in all a fun day, made all the more entertaining by the game of “Find the Yellow Bus” at the end of the parade.

Is That Snow?

It was a snowy start to this years Belmar Parade Day, definitely a day for thermals. While we gathered in FSOS Hall the temperature continued to drop. Then with families and friends assembled, we celebrated mass, St. Patrick, being Irish and remembered friends who had passed. Sashes were blessed and donned.

Afterwards as we filed from mass with thoughts of coffee. A handful of our older members went outside to the memorial. There they placed the mass flowers and stayed moment. Soon we were all enjoying a breakfast of muffins and coffee. There were of course a hardy few that decided on something a little stronger. Then there was the rest of us.

Meanwhile the Men in Black were polishing shillelaghs and putting on top hats. Alan Purcell, the quiet, shy lad from Dublin and this year's parade adjutant looked especially dapper sporting a top head with a pretty green ribbon. He was a picture! Before long we were all installed on the 5 buses and heading to Belmar. By 1:00pm we were all assembled in Lake Como. Snow lay on the ground and the sound of pipes filled the air.

There were aran sweaters, floats, 6 foot leprechauns, shamrock painted cars and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band. In dress blues and razor sharp they paid no attention to the occasional swirls of snow and played flawlessly. Then quielty their conductor turned to the FSOS flag bearers and requested they step forward for the National Anthem. As the flags raised the crowd fell silent, the band played and not a soul moved except to place hands over hearts or raise them in salute.

The crowds on Main Street would not be deterred by the winter blast. As the FSOS Pipes and Drums led the Sea Of Green up Main St. Belmar they were greeted by constant cheers. For the frozen onlookers the Rakes of Mallow, Amazing Grace and the Kelly Set all standards of the band reminded the parade goers of what St. Patrick's Day is all about. That, and the goading by the rather large gentleman with the big hat up front.

Photos From Mass, Breakfast & Parade

Photographs by Mike Callaghan, Alan Purcell, Bob Hobson

A special thanks to all those who worked behind the scenes on this day and the days preceding  to insure that all went off so well.