Each year on March 17 millions of the Irish, both native and by descent, come together with friends of all ancestries to celebrate Ireland's patron saint, Patrick.In Ireland, north and south, this occasion has been marked for more than 1,500 years. But 2011 in New York City stands out as a special year: the 250-year anniversary of the celebration enjoyed by millions of New Yorkers down through the years.Thus, the 2011 anniversary is the perfect opportunity to honor the cherished relationship between the Irish and the City of New York. This anniversary publication offers a fitting tribute to that formidable history. Through moving text crafted by John T. Ridge, one of New York City's leading historians, this volume explores the past, present and future of Irish-American pride in a vivid celebration of the nation's longest-running parade and the people and events who shaped it. The image of the long green line, gallantly marched by the descendants of the seven million who emigrated from Ireland to America over three centuries, illustrates the triumphs of a proud and passionate people.Drawing from New York's most precious photographic archives, editor Lynn Mosher Bushnell has assembled a visual history of the parade that unfolds page by page with hundreds of rare and extraordinary photographs. Celebrating 250 Years pays heartfelt tribute to the Irish in America. The annual parade reflects their strength, spirit and passion and contributes to the unique character of New York City. Turlough McConnell John T. Ridge (author) has been attending St. Patrick's Day Parades since the 1950s when his immigrant Irish parents first took him to watch the spectacle on Fifth Avenue. For more than 40 years he has been a regular marcher in the ranks and at the same time a careful observer of the parade's struggles and triumphs in an era of major challenges. As historian for the parade committee, Ridge has combined his insider's view with years of research in libraries and archives to bring to life a unique picture of New York's oldest parade. Ridge has also drawn on many years of writing about the New York Irish in periodicals and books as well as some up-close observations from his walking tours of long-vanished Irish neighborhoods in the city. He is a past president and current officer of the New York Irish History Roundtable and a frequent contributor to its annual walking tours of long-vanished Irish neighborhoods in the city. He is a past president and current officer of the New York Irish History Roundtable and a frequent contributor to its annual journal of New York Irish History.Lynn Mosher Bushnell (editor) manages Quinnipiac University Press and serves as vice president for public affairs at Quinnipiac University. She has marched in the storied New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade under the Quinnipiac University banner for nearly 20 years. She often is joined on the parade route by her husband, Donald, the great-grandson of Irish immigrants, and their three children, Katharine, Rebecca and Stephen. Quinnipiac University is home to An Gorta Mór, the world's largest collection of art and literature devoted exclusively to Ireland' s Great Hunger. The extensive sculpture collection and other rare holdings may be viewed on the Quinnipiac University campus or online at www.thegreathunger.org.