“ Here come the IRISH“ NEW JERSEY’S LEADERS 2019 MAKE OUR STATE A BETTER PLACE! HERE COME THE IR ISH ! New Jersey’s Leaders 2019 St. Patrick’s Day is once again upon us with its month long festivities. To help celebrate the occasion, InsiderNJ.com presents its annual and profiled list of New Jersey’s Irish American leaders and activists as a salute to the holiday and as a harbinger of long awaited springtime. The annual tribute to the ‘Irish High Holy Days’ is an acknowledgement of accomplishments, numerous contributions and community service. Once again, the list includes both veterans of previous compilations and quite a few newcomers, as well. Collectively, they have all demonstrated a commitment to their Irish American heritage. The updated list is compiled to commemorate the 84th Anniversary of the Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the oldest Irish American march in New Jersey (1936-present), interrupted only by WWII (1943-46). This year’s Irish march in downtown Newark is scheduled for Friday, March 15 at 1:00pm. Grand Marshal Sean O’Neill and Deputy Grand Marshal Kathleen M. Conlon have been elected by delegates to lead the parade. The 2019 Newark Parade is dedicated to Thomas J. Gartland (1939-2018) Tom Barrett, compiler of the list, credits the Newark parade for its sense of tradition and staying power. His father, Thomas P. J. Barrett, a journalist and World War II veteran, was a three-time parade chairman. The list is purely subjective. WE HOPE YOU ENJOY IT! WILLIAM (BILL) BARONI JOSEPH P. BRENNAN, ESQ. JAMES P. DUGAN Former NY/NJ Port Authority Three-term Essex County Surro - Legendary Hudson County Executive and Law Professor. gate (retired). Twice elected West political power player. Former During his tenure as a New Jersey Orange Council President. Marine Corp. Captain, Chairman of State Senator, he was the only Decorated Vietnam War veteran. State Senate Judiciary Committee Irish born member of the state Former Grand Marshal/West and Democratic State Chairman. legislature. Orange Irish Parade. KEVIN BRENNAN LAUREL BRENNAN BRIAN BORU, INC. of the West Orange Brennan clan Highly regarded South Jersey HONOREES is legal counsel to the WO Parade Labor leader. Secretary-Treasurer (76th Anniversary): Edwin “Eddie” and Trustee/Friendly Sons of St. NJ State AFL-CIO. Past recipient Donnelly / Pres. NJ State FMBA; Patrick of the Oranges. Tom of the Evangelina Menendez Sister Catherine Finnerty , MFIC Brennan is past Chairman and Trailblazer Award. (St. Francis Academy); Susan H. current Vice Chairman of the Gartland (former Caldwell Mayor) WO Parade. and Charles M. McFadden (Pres. Iron Workers Local 11). 1 DECLAN BURKE MEGHAN BARRETT BOBBY BYRNE Senior Director/ Center for Science BURKE, ESQ. Acclaimed Irish-American musician & Digital Assessment Design, ETS, In-house Counsel, Colas Inc. and former Grand Marshal of Princeton. “Man of the West” Global Infrastructure Construction Belmar’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. from Dunmore, County Galway, Co., Morristown. Former Decorated Vietnam Veteran. Ireland. Graduate/ Ireland’s Partner/Connell Foley. Honors National University, MA/Seton grad. Providence College/ Hall, MBA/Rutgers. University of Galway, Ireland. JD/SHU Law School. EUGENE J. BYRNE, ESQ. MICHAEL D. BYRNE TOM BYRNE, JR. Trustee of the Friendly Sons of St. General Chairman of the Newark Founder/Byrne Asset Management Patrick of the Oranges. Former St. Patrick’s Day Parade Commit - LLC. Former Chairman/NJ State Grand Marshal of Newark Irish tee. Youngest sub-committee Democratic Committee. Past Chair - Parade. Gene has marched in chairman in Parade history. man/ New Jersey State Investment the NYC Irish parade faithfully for Council. Son of the late Governor 61 years. Brendan T. Byrne. 2 COL. PATRICK CALLAHAN BRIAN CAMPBELL TOM CANNAN Superintendent/NJ State Police. Finance Executive, Writer/Essayist. Retired Newark Detective. Board Recently re-nominated by Gov. Silver Pen Award winner/ Star member, Project Children. Trustee Phil Murphy as full-time head of Ledger. Grandson of George Bell/ Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of the force. Former Chief Honoree/Irish 1961 Grand Marshal of Newark’s Oranges and former Grand Echo/ Law & Order Awards. St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Marshal/ West Orange Irish Parade. PGA, USGA & MGA Rules official. DENNIS F. CAREY, III JOHN CARR MICHAEL PATRICK Essex County Superior Court Past President/ Friendly Sons of CARROLL Judge (retired). Grandson of the the Shillelagh/Belmar Chapter. GOP Assemblyman (R-25), legendary Dennis “I run Essex” Former Belmar/Lake Como Parade member/ Friendly Sons of St. Carey (1953-1969) who engi - Grand Marshal (2012). Past Chair - Patrick. Son of the late Maurice neered a 50,000 countywide vote man, NJ Irish Festival and driving (Mickey) Carroll, former NY Herald plurality for JFK in 1960. force for its new location at Tribune reporter and director of Monmouth Park. the Quinnipiac Polling Institute. 3 ROBERT “BOBBY” CHIP CAVANAGH DENNIS M. CAVANAUGH CARROLL Chairman/Belmar & Lake Como U.S. District Court Judge/ District Son of the late and famed labor St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Chip’s of NJ (retired) whose mother was leader ‘Big’ Jim Carroll of Heavy mom, Jackie, was a former Deputy born in County Clare, Ireland. Construction Laborer’s Local 472 Grand Marshal. Related to the late Frank McGovern, in Newark. Currently successful famed proprietor of McGovern’s attorney in private practice. Tavern in Newark. JAMES A. CAVANAUGH MARY PAT FOSTER MARY HIGGINS CLARK Former Essex County Freeholder, CHRISTIE Renowned Irish storyteller, award- now successful restaurateur. Former NJ First Lady. University winning novelist. Authored more Owner of the Iron Bar and Revolu - of Delaware grad. Seton Hall than 42 books. Resident of Bergen tion/ Morristown. Former Grand University MBA. Ninth/10 children County and former Grand Marshal Marshal of the Nutley St. Patrick’s born to a Pennsylvania Irish of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Catholic family. Former Essex Day Parade. County Irishwoman of the Year. 4 MARY ELLEN CLYNE, EUGENE AND RAYMOND PATRICIA CODEY, SC, PH.D. CODEY ESQ. President and CEO/ Clara Maass Dynamic duo. Twin brothers, Gene Accomplished attorney and Medical Center. Only person who a retired Superior Court Judge in Sister of Charity. President/ holds a BSN, MSN and a Ph.D private practice with Connell/ Foley, Catholic HealthCare Partnership in Nursing from Seton Hall LLP and Raymond , Business of New Jersey. University. 2013 Essex County Manager for Madison Township. Irishwoman of the Year. RICHARD J. CODEY JERE’ COLE PAT COLLIGAN State Senator (D-27). One of the Essex County Sheriff’s officer President/New Jersey State PBA. most influential legislative (retired). Currently National Former Grand Marshal of the leaders in New Jersey history. Secretary of the Ancient Order Nutley Irish 40th Annual Parade. Served with distinction and of Hibernians. bi-partisan praise as New Jersey’s 53rd Governor and President of the NJ Senate. Strong advocate for mental health reforms. 5 JACK COLLINS KEVIN P. CONLIN KATHLEEN M. CONLON Princeton Public Affairs. Former Chairman, President/CEO/Horizon 2019 Deputy Grand Marshal/ 84th Speaker of New Jersey General Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Anniversary Newark St. Patrick’s Assembly. College Professor. Jersey. More than 36 years of Day Parade. Director/Burn Basketball Coach. Lawyer. Farmer. executive management Community & Disaster Programs/ experience in health care, with a St. Barnabas Medical Center. concentration in hospital systems. HUGH W. CONNELLY MARYANN CONNELLY FRAN MCHUGH COON & One of the founders/ Burlington Popular principal of Bayonne’s BERNADETTE MCHUGH County St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Dr. Walter F. Robinson Community LENNON President/Business Banking/ School named for local historian Fran a RN at Mountainside Univest Bank & Trust Company. who was the author of “The Hospital, resident of West Caldwell. History of Modern Bayonne.” Former Nutley Parade Deputy Grand Marshal. Bernadette of Point Pleasant is also a Registered Nurse doing the Lord’s work. Trace roots to County Longford, Ireland. 6 GERRY COONEY CAROL SHARKEY MICHAEL C. CORCORAN Former professional boxer and CORCORAN Recently appointed Morristown’s Golden Glove champion Grand Marshal of the 2019 West first civilian Public Safety Director renowned for bouts with heavy - Orange Parade. Her mother, Helena overseeing police, fire and office of weight champion Larry Holmes, Sharkey , was the1979 Grand Mar - Emergency Management. Former Michael Spinks and George shal (first NJ woman Grand Marshal) West Orange Deputy Police Director Foreman. Resident of Fanwood. and her father Alfie Sharkey was and Police Commissioner/Rye, New 1999 Grand Marshal. The family hails York. U.S. Navy veteran. from County Roscommon, Ireland. PATRICIA K. COSTELLO CRAIG J. COUGHLIN JENNIFER CRITCHLEY, Essex County Assignment Judge Well regarded Speaker of the NJ ESQ. (retired). Stellar judicial career General Assembly (D-19) of Fords, Partner, Connell Foley, LLP. Named that spanned 25 years including Woodbridge Township. Graduate to NJ Super Lawyer-Biz Litigation/ 10 years as top judge in NJ’s St. John’s Law School. Former NJ Top 100 and New Jersey Top 50 busiest courthouse. Former Essex Municipal Court Judge. Lawyer in Women Lawyers. County Irishwoman of the Year. private practice. 7 MICHAEL CRITCHLEY, KEVIN CUMMINGS JESSICA CUNNINGHAM ESQ. Pres./CEO/Investors Bank, 3rd General Chairwoman/ Union Highly regarded Defense Attorney, largest bank hdqtr. in NJ. Former County St. Patrick’s Day Parade. involved with numerous Irish Grand Marshal/Newark’s Irish Teacher/Coach. President Irish American and charitable Parade. 2017 honoree/St. American Society/ Union. organizations. Known for his Patrick’s Guard of Honor. 2018 brilliance in court. Former Essex Jersey City Irish Parade Grand County Irishman of the Year. Marshal. JOSEPH (JOE) CRYAN SEAN DARCY ERICA DAUGHTREY NJ State Senator (D-20). Executive Well-known Democratic Party Popular and well-known Hudson Director/Middlesex County strategist, principal with Round County community activist. Utilities Authority. Former Union World Consulting and former Currently serves as Communications County Sheriff.