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by Lindsay Stephen '16

������Ƭapp alumni, family and friends are invited to march in the 2015 NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Tuesday, March 17, 2015. A breakfast will be held before the parade from 10:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Vanderbilt Suites in the MetLife Building, NYC.

“This is the fourth consecutive year that Fairfield has been a part of the parade,” said Jessica Colligan ’03, director of regional engagement for Alumni Relations. “������Ƭapp has a lot of ties to Ireland and Irish culture and marching in the parade is a wonderful way to celebrate that each year.”

������Ƭapp has a dedicated Irish Studies Program with over a dozen courses specific to Irish history, life, and culture. Additionally, the University has a thriving study abroad program in Ireland, with 25 students in Galway, Ireland this semester. And this coming fall, Rev. Charles Allen, S.J., and Janet Canepa ’82 are leading an alumni trip to Ireland.

Colligan says the excitement and Stag-pride are the best parts of the day. “Parade marchers and watchers alike are so excited to participate in a tradition that’s over 250 years old. Occasionally we’ll come upon a group of bystanders yelling ‘Go Stags’ or putting their ‘Stags Up’ at us, and that always gives our group an extra burst of energy and Fairfield pride.”

This year will mark the 254th year of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, making it America’s oldest Irish tradition, established fourteen years before the Declaration of Independence.

Colligan says the opportunity to be a part of the parade is an extraordinary experience. “To be able to represent your university as part of such a time-honored tradition is really special.”

To register online and for additional information, please visit .