The Glen Cove St. Patrick's Day Parade
Celebrating Irish Culture on the North Shore
The Glen Cove Hibernians will be celebrating 5pm Mass at St. Boniface Martyr Church in Sea Cliff on the eve of the Parade, Saturday evening, March 22, 2014, followed by a rousing party at the St. Boniface Gym. Full dinner and beverages included in the price; live traditional Irish music, stepdancers, pipers, sing-along, all in the great “Hooley” tradition of AOH and LAOH Divisions 8.
2013 Aide to the Grand Mashal – Lisa Forgione
Lisa Bartley Forgione is one the 4th generation of Bartley’s born and raised in Glen Cove to Lewis (Buzzy) Bartley and Rosemary (Reilly). Elizabeth Mary (Lisa) is joined by her sisters, Rosemary Helena and Catherine Patricia (Cappa).
Lisa’s maternal grandfather, Thomas Reilly arrived in New York from County Cavan and was the greatest gardener ever. He was known for his stories of “horses so big you could walk under them” home in Ireland. Paternal grandmother Mary McGinn Bartley came from County Sligo – with a never ending brogue and her little Irish quotes that she kept in her heart.
Lisa is a past CPR Instructor, Brownie, Girl Scout, Girl Scout Leader, PTA and SEPTA member in North Shore School District, was President of the All Saints Home School Association, worked her way up to President of LAOH Division 8 – followed her Grandmother Betty Delaney Reilly’s footsteps as she too was President of Division 8…way back when – Glen Cove Parade committee member, and the Publicity Chair for Nassau County LAOH.
While Lisa was President, Division 8 installed 20 new members, helped organize three very successful St. Patrick’s Day dances, hosted St. Brigid’s Day celebrations and a Major Degree Ceremony for the County LAOH. She led the Division in its celebration of their tenth anniversary. They participated in the New York State Convention, organized the refreshments for the Blessing of the Creche at Village Square, are sponsors St Boniface’s Feast on The Beach.
Lisa proudly led the Ladies of the St. Dymphna, Division 8 as they exemplified their Motto of “Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity” by their participation, love and care for others. Under Lisa’s leadership they have adopted twin boys for the holidays, donated gift cards to Long Beach families hit hard by Super Storm Sandy, filled the shelves of St Patrick’s Food Pantry and volunteered to help wherever there was a need.
Lisa worked for SCO Family of Services Development office for nine years, organizing volunteers, events, Thanksgiving dinners, holiday visits, picnics and parties for the children who reside at the Robert J. McMahon home for Children in Sea Cliff. Currently she is at the front desk at the Madonna Heights facility for troubled teen girls, where she has reached out to hug many of them.
Lisa was married for 30 years to Jimmy Forgione who passed away on March 15, 2009. Together they have three children Darla, Joseph and Lewanna, and two grandsons, Robert and Vincent James. The family recently celebrated the marriage of Darla to Robert Rivera. Jimmy is always by their side to help them continue to breathe and take one day at a time…..
Lisa is “thrilled and honored to be chosen as an Aide for the 25th Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade and has the privilege to walk beside Grand Marshall Danny Lane – Co-Aides Pam and Bob Panzenbeck, and Joe McDonald.”
“St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time – a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.” By Adrienne Cook
St. Patrick, St Brigid and St Dymphna, Pray for Us
Maureen Basdavanos, 2012 Grand Marshal
Maureen is the oldest daughter of Michael and Mary Moran. She served as Deputy Mayor for the City of Glen Cove from 2008 through 2013, appointed by Mayor Ralph V. Suozzi.
Maureen was born and raised in Sea Cliff, NY. She received her education at St. Boniface Martyr School, North Shore High School and The Katherine Gibbs School. She became a member of the Ladies AOH in 2010. It seemed like a natural progression since the AOH has been a major part of her life since she was a child. She is a member of St. Patrick’s Parish, but also keeps her childhood parish of St. Boniface Martyr close at heart.
Maureen is a member of the Board of Directors for Glen Cove C.A.R.E.S. and a Board member for the Glen Cove Business Improvement District (BID), the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Sounds Committee, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission and is a long-time supporter of the Glen Cove Animal Lover’s League. She was an active member of the Glen Cove High School Booster Club volunteering with her husband Bill to photograph and report weekly on all JV and Varsity sports. She was also a long-time volunteer Cheerleading Coach for Glen Cove Jr. Football and Cheerleading and a Cub Scout leader.
Maureen is married to Bill Basdavanos, Ex-Chief of the Glen Cove Volunteer Fire Dept. They have two children – Sean Michael who lives in Long Beach and owns a dessert café in Rockville Center and Kelly Anne who is a senior at Our Lady of Mercy Academy and is looking forward to college next year.
Siobhan Rack
2012 Aide to the
Grand Marshal
Sioban is the third child to Daniel and (the late) Sally Lane. Her dad is from County Cork, Ireland and her mom was from County Tyrone, Ireland. She was raised to enjoy Irish step dancing, music, laughter and the sounds of the bagpipes. Sioban was born in Roslyn, NY and raised in Sea Cliff with her three siblings, Dennis, Patricia and Daniel Joseph, where she attended St. Boniface Martyr School, North Shore High School and ITT Business School. She has been an employee of SCO Family of Services for Thirty-three years.
In all her roles over the last 33 years, one thing has remained constant; year after year Sioban has brought happiness to thousands of children across the agency. With corporate contacts, volunteers and donors she has provided Christmas for hundreds of children and adolescents every year, arranged trips and special outings, and recently, working with the Garden of Dreams foundation, she has even enabled some of our children to perform at Radio City Music Hall.
In addition to all of this Sioban has worked with volunteers, putting together highly successful events that have raised funds to support programs across the agency. Her success in this area is a direct result of the passion she has for the children and families she services.
She has been a member of the LAOH since 2006 serving as Vice President and President. She has been involved with the St. Patrick’s Day dance, Garage Sales and all LAOH fund raising activities. She is also a member of the St. Boniface Martyr Ministries.
Sioban is married to the love of her life Jim Rack and they are enjoying raising their son – James Rack who is 16 years old and a junior at North Shore High School.
Thomas J. Lilly, Grand Marshal of the 2010 Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade, is a native of the Flatlands area of Brooklyn, the youngest of three children born to Frank Lilly and Mary Ellen Kelly of Mary Queen of Heaven parish. He attended Most Holy Trinity High School in Brooklyn. Tom then spent three years at Maryknoll College and later graduated with a B.A. degree from St. John’s University.
After four years in the Navy, mostly aboard the aircraft carrier Coral Sea in the Near East, Mediterranean and Caribbean he resumed his educational career, earning a J.D. Degree at night from Fordham Law School, becoming a member of the Bar in 1961. Later, also at night, he received an LLM at N.Y.U. Law School.
Tom was appointed an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. He went on to start his own practice and is very sell known in the area of labor relations and employment law. He has taught in that field as a professor at the Xavier Institute, C.W. Post, and at Cornell School of Industrial-Labor Relations.
A bright thread running through the tapestry of Tom’s life is his resolve to put into practice Christ’s teaching of service to our brothers and sisters, especially to the “least among us”. This dedication led him to devote his legal career to the protection of the rights of working people to organize to defend themselves and promote their interests. It led him to unswerving advocacy on behalf of the unborn and their mothers and his position as a board member of Momma’s House. That dedication is also the impetus for his tireless efforts in support of our neighbors who need assistance in hard times. Tom has had a lifelong devotion to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, emulating his father as a longtime member. He has served as President of the Nassau-Suffolk Central Board and is currently President of the St. Boniface Conference of that Society.
The principle of service to community also led Tom to political involvement as the local Democratic leader in Sea Cliff. In the 1980’s he spearheaded the presidential campaign of Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson on Long Island and former DA Denis Dillon has credited Tom as the first person to encourage him to run for public office. Tom, himself, has also run for office.
In 1958 he married Marge Doherty of Park Slope. They later moved to Sea Cliff, where they have resided for over forty years. They have of four children, Thomas and Joseph, (both attorneys), Mary Jo and Sean (both teachers), and are the grandparents of Thomas, Eileen, Sarah, Jones and Catherine Lilly.
Tom and Marge are active members of St. Boniface Martyr Parish in Sea Cliff. He served as President of the Parish Council, was fundraising captain for the parish, taught Religious Education classes and belonged to the Nocturnal Adoration Society. A parish publication in 1973 declared that “the name Thomas Joseph Lilly has become synonymous with St. Boniface School”, where he served as Chairman of the School Board for many years.
Tom would likely attribute his dedication to the working person, to the less powerful members of society, to church, community and family to the influence of his Irish ancestry and heritage. It’s no coincidence that Tom has had a long interest and involvement in the struggle for religious, civil and national rights in his ancestral homeland. He is a dedicated member of the AOH having served as President for three terms and as Historian for many years and he is a founding member of the Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee.
The women and men of Glen Cove Divisions 8 of the LAOH and AOH will never be prouder and can follow no better lead than when we follow our brother, Grand Marshal Thomas Joseph Lilly, Grand Marshal of the 22nd Annual Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
John Canning, the 2008 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal, is a partner at Canning and Bollaci, LLP, a Sea Cliff law firm, and serves as Deputy Town Clerk of the Town of Oyster Bay.
Canning was born in Glen Cove and raised in Sea Cliff where he attended North Shore Schools. He has been engaged in civic activities for many years. Present and past community involvement includes: member, Knights of Columbus, Glen Cove; officer, Sea Cliff Auxiliary Police; director, Glen Cove CARES; director, Friends of Raynham Hall Museum, Oyster Bay; treasurer, Sea Cliff Civic Association; president, East Hillside Cemetery Association; lector, St. Boniface Martyr R.C. Church, Sea Cliff; member, North Shore Kiwanis Club; and director, Visiting Nurse Association of Oyster Bay-Glen Cove. John is also an Honorary Member of the Sea Cliff Volunteer Fire Department.
In 1995, Canning was elected to the inaugural Nassau County Legislature where he represented Glen Cove and the northern portion of the Town of Oyster Bay and served as Chair of the Committee on Governmental Services and Operations. He was also a member of two New York State Commissions: the Long Island Sound Coastal Advisory Commission and the Long Island North Shore Heritage Area Planning Commission.
Canning’s Hibernian activities have included being a member of the Irish-American Society and a founding member of Irish-Americans in Government. For the past several years, he has been the voice of the Glen Cove St. Patrick’s Parade, announcing the line of march at the reviewing stand.
