The Glen Cove St. Patrick's Day Parade
Celebrating Irish Culture on the North Shore
As is our annual tradition, the organizers of the Glen St. Patrick’s Day Parade gather with the Grand Marshal and Aide to the Grand Marshal to celebrate Mass (11:00 am at St. Patrick’s Church, Glen Cove) on Sunday a week before the Parade followed by brunch in their honor.
Joe McDonald, born Eric Marc Barrett on March 28, 1970, to Colleen Barrett of Erie, PA, has had quite a journey. Adopted at three months by Joseph and Catherine McDonald of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Joe grew up alongside his older brother, Marty. While he spent his early years in Brooklyn, Joe has called Long Island home for the past 15 years. Over that time, he’s lived in Massapequa, West Hempstead, and now Deer Park. He also runs his business in Franklin Square.
Joe’s career spans multiple fields, but he’s perhaps best known for his 15 years as a sports reporter. During that time, he had the chance to cover some of New York’s most significant sporting events, like the World Series, Stanley Cup Finals, and US Open Finals. His passion for sports journalism led him to write columns about the Mets and Major League Baseball for NY Sports Day, a website he founded in 2004 and sold in 2020. He also worked as the managing editor of NY Sportscene Magazine and was assistant editor at Mets Inside Pitch Magazine.
In addition to his sports career, Joe spent 12 years running a web development business and another 15 years as a financial consultant. His broad professional experience made the transition into real estate a natural fit. For the past eight years, Joe has worked as a loan and title closer, and today, he’s an agent with Berkshire Hathaway. In his real estate role, Joe is all about helping both sellers and buyers. He works closely with sellers to get their properties market-ready and secure the best price possible, while for buyers, he’s skilled at finding the right homes and negotiating the best deals.
Outside of his professional life, Joe is deeply involved in the Irish community. He’s been a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians for years and played a key role in growing the Mineola Division. His dedication has earned him leadership roles, including chairing conventions and serving as Chairman of the Long Island Irish Fest, an annual event in Franklin Square. He is Vice President on the Nassau County Board and previously sat on the National and New York State Boards. In 2015, he was honored as Aide to the Grand Marshal of the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and in 2013, he had the same distinction with the Glen Cove Parade.
Joe’s community involvement doesn’t stop there. He’s also a member of the Sons of Italy in Deer Park, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick on Long Island, and the Irish American Society of Nassau Suffolk and Queens.
Joe is proud to share his life with his two children, Joseph and Jamie, and his partner, Alicia Louisa. His strong commitment to his family, career, and community reflects his well-rounded approach to life.
Irene Abrams was raised with her six siblings in Woodhaven, Queens. Her parents, Irene and Peter S. Roggemann, Jr., settled near where they grew up next door to each other. Her maternal grandparents, Loretta Hughes and Frank Smith, met in New York after they emigrated to the U.S. Her maternal grandmother, Theodora Burke, is the Great-Granddaughter of Peter Ulich Burke, who was born in Birr, County Offaly, in 1898. Peter became a Medical Doctor, opened a clinic for poor Irish people, and wrote curricula for Catholic schools. Peter followed his sons to Utica, NY, and also wrote Catholic school curricula there. Theodora Burke went to Normal School, where she was trained as a Primary Grade Teacher.
Following the Burke tradition, Irene became an educator and taught English Literature at Christ the King H.S. in Queens. After receiving her MS in Special Education from Fordham University, she was appointed by the New York City Department of Education to teach Special Education classes at Montauk Jr High in Brooklyn and then at Seward Park H.S. in Manhattan. She earned her Professional Degree in Educational Administration from Hunter U. and was appointed to Grover Cleveland H.S. in Queens as Assistant Principal, Special Ed. In 1993, she became Assistant Principal at Queens Vocational H.S. and then at Bayside H.S.
Irene moved to Glen Cove in 1996 while still working at Bayside High School. She joined parish life at both St. Rocco’s and St. Patrick’s. After she left the NY City Board of Education, she continued working as a consultant to charter schools to ensure that programs for students with special needs were not overlooked.
Irene joined the LAOH in 2013, when she made her Degree. She volunteered for many Committees and held the appointed Offices of Grievance Officer and Education & Immigration. In 2024, she was elected as a Grievance Officer.
Sean Basdavanos is honored to serve as an Aide to the Grand Marshal for the 2025 Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade. A dedicated member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), Sean served as President of the Glen Cove Division from 2021-2023, as Vice President from 2018-2020 and is currently the Treasurer since 2023. During his presidency, he was instrumental in founding the Glen Cove Hibernian Golf Outing, a beloved annual event at the Glen Cove Golf Course.
Sean’s dedication to the AOH is deeply personal, as his grandfather, Michael Moran, was honored by having the Glen Cove Division 8 named after him, one of the highest honors the division can bestow. Sean continues to carry on his family’s legacy of service and community involvement.
In addition to his work with the AOH, Sean has had a distinguished career in public service. Since 2014, he has worked at the City of Long Beach Water Purification Plant, where he is now a Senior Plant Operator. Throughout his career, Sean has served as both Shop Steward and Safety Coordinator, advocating for his colleagues and ensuring the safety and efficiency of the plant.
Sean is also an active member of the Men’s Glen Cove Golf Club and enjoys skiing in his free time. Outside of his professional and community work, Sean is a proud husband to Allison Basdavanos and a father to two sons, Odin James and William Arthur. He is the son of Maureen and William Basdavanos and the grandson of Michael and Mary Moran.
As an Aide to the Grand Marshal, Sean’s contributions to the community, his dedication to preserving his Irish heritage, and his commitment to service make him a true asset to the Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The Glen Cove Saint Patrick’s Day Parade has been scheduled for Sunday, March 23, 2025, at 1 pm. Founded in 1989, the parade is the premier St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Long Island. It occurs each year on the Sunday after St. Patrick’s Day and is a joyous first sign of Spring for Long Islanders and visitors.
The 2025 parade’s grand marshal is Joe McDonald, well-known for his successful involvement in fields as varied as sports journalism, website development, and real estate. Joe is deeply admired for his many accomplishments in promoting the social and cultural activities of Long Island’s Irish community. The Aides to the Grand Marshal are dedicated local Hibernians Irene Abrams and Sean Basdavanos.
After paying the Parade’s expenses, all surplus funds raised through our fundraising efforts are donated to charity. Grand Marshal Joe McDonald has chosen the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club as our beneficiary this year. The club is a neighborhood-based facility designed for youth programs and activities that have served underprivileged youth and families in the greater Glen Cove Community since 1903.
The Parade begins at 12 noon in the area of the Finley Middle School at Forest Avenue and Dosoris Lane in Glen Cove. It steps off at 1 p.m. and proceeds through the streets of downtown Glen Cove. There is ample parking at Glen Cove’s downtown municipal parking garages, and parking will be available at St. Patrick’s lot on a first-come basis. A shuttle bus will circulate through the parking, formation, and spectator areas.
An After-Parade Party takes place at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall at the end of the Parade route.
As always, the heart of the parade will be its exciting mix of marching groups, including bands of Irish pipers and other musicians, vintage cars, costumed performers, fire and police units, and much more. The parade is a true community celebration, with marching groups from the Irish and the many other ethnic groupings of our community participating. Everyone is invited to join the fun!
The Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade receives NO public or municipal financial support. It depends solely on tax-deductible corporate sponsorship and individual donations to the Glen Cove Parade Committee Inc. Please visit glencoveparade.com to review tax-deductible support opportunities.
For more information, please visit the parade website at www.glencoveparade.com, call or text 516-782-7494, or email anpiobaire@aol.com. The Glen Cove Parade Committee, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) charitable corporation, and all contributions are tax-deductible.
The Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade receives NO public or municipal financial support. We depend solely on business and corporate sponsorship and individual donations to the Glen Cove Parade Committee Inc. All parade expenses are paid in this way, and all amounts collected in excess of those expenses are donated directly to carefully chosen charities.
After payment of the Parade’s expenses, all surplus funds raised through our fundraising efforts are donated to charity.
After paying the Parade’s expenses, all surplus funds raised through our fundraising efforts are 
donated to charity. Grand Marshal Joe McDonald has chosen the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club as our beneficiary this year. The club is a neighborhood-based facility designed for youth programs and activities that have served underprivileged youth and families in the greater Glen Cove Community since 1903.
Note: The Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade is organized and conducted by Glen Cove Parade Committee Inc., a charitable corporation and is a non-profit organization pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Your donation to the parade may qualify for an income tax deduction in accordance with Federal and/or State income tax laws. Please consult with your tax adviser to determine whether your donation is tax deductible in whole or in part. Nothing in this communication is intended to constitute legal or tax advice.
There will be a fun and family-friendly After-Parade Party right at the end of the Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade route, at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall, located at 235 Glen Street, Glen Cove, NY 11542, just around the corner from the end of the parade route.
There will be a fun and family-friendly After-Parade Party right at the end of the Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade route, at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall, located at 235 Glen Street, Glen Cove, NY 11542, just around the corner from the end of the parade route.
Glen Cove Parade Committee, Inc., the organizer of the Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade, being held this year on St. Patrick’s Day itself, Sunday, March 17, 2024, is very grateful to our generous sponsors, such as Winters Brothers Waste Systems.
Christine Rice, Grand Marshal 2024 Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Christine Rice is the Executive Director of the Glen Cove Senior Center, Glen Cove, NY and Chairwoman of NOSH Delivers, Inc., Glen Cove, NY. Rice received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Adelphi University in Garden City, NY.
In 1997, upon her mother’s diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease, Rice became her primary caregiver. After caring for both her parents until her mother’s passing in 2006 and her father’s passing in 2013, Rice accepted the position as Director of Special Events and Community Outreach for the Long Island Alzheimer’s and Dementia Center. Connecting with the community and raising funds for the organization was an extremely rewarding experience and one that led to the position of Executive Director of the Glen Cove Senior Center in 2019.
The Glen Cove Senior Center enriches the lives of seniors and enhances the quality of life of older adults through numerous programs and services. Rice has a thorough understanding of the complexities and challenges that seniors face throughout the aging process and has acquired a strong knowledge, through her personal and professional experience, of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases.
Rice’s involvement with NOSH Delivers Inc., a not-for-profit that works to create a hunger-free, thriving community began with the onset of COVID in 2019. NOSH provides individuals and families in the Glen Cove community and surrounding areas with healthy, nutritious food.
Rice was born and raised in Garden City, NY with her nine siblings and still resides there. Rice has two children, Mary who resides in Garden City, NY with her husband William and her son William, who resides in Delray Beach, FL.
