Members of the Irish police force, the Garda Siochana, look set to take part in this year's New York St. Patrick's Day Parade.
But a number of parade officials who might have been expected to supervise this and all the other marching units look set to be absent from Fifth Avenue.
Foremost among this latter grouping is Reilly J. Dundon, the parade's Formation Chairman.
Dundon has tendered his resignation in protest against the inclusion of the Gardai after what he described as "a number of incidents" involving the Garda contingent in the 2023 parade.
In a letter to parade chairman Sean Lane, Dundon, who is also resigning as Credentials Chairman, Security Committee Chairman, as a member of the New York Parade and Celebrations Committee, and the Parade Board of Directors, outlined his reasons for bidding farewell to the parade.
"This will conclude my 48 year plus year history of service with the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade," Dundon wrote Lane.
The matter of the Garda marching contingent in 2023 has been the subject of a number of newspaper reports in Ireland.
The incidents referred to by Dundon in his letter refer to moments in the parade "in which they (Gardai) disrupted parade operations, openly consumed alcohol, refused to obey lawful instructions and acted towards Formation Committee volunteers in a belligerent and aggressive manner. This included at least 3 supervisory Garda officers."
Dundon, in his letter, points to reports sent to members of the parade board and a video link "showing uniformed Garda tossing a G.A.A. player up in the air on Fifth Avenue."
That link has been viewed extensively. The GAA player in question is former Dublin star footballer Jason Sherlock.
The video shows a couple of Garda officers approaching Sherlock who is watching the parade from behind a barrier. The officers shake his hand and take selfies. A little while later more Gardai approach Sherlock. Again there is hand shaking and selfies but this time officers hoist Sherlock over the barrier and on to Fifth Avenue.
They carry him briefly before letting him down. Sherlock is then absorbed by the larger body of Garda marchers. There is more hand shaking and more selfies. The video ends. It is unclear whether Sherlock continues to march with the Garda contingent or returns to a spectator role.
Dundon, in his letter, states that the parade's top officials had stated in the aftermath of the 2023 parade that the Garda were "personae non gratae" for the 2024 parade "due to their documented misconduct."
Continued Dundon: "You then reversed course after being contacted by representatives of the Irish government and informed me in a conference call on February 8, 2024 that you were going to accommodate the Garda in the 2024 parade without sanction, or any other consequence for their misconduct.
"This is in reversal of long-standing parade policy dating back to at lest the 1950s, which has been routinely utilized to maintain standards of conduct in our very large parade. It is also a complete reversal of your public statements since 2023."
Dundon stated that the about-face had "effectively crippled" his ability to "manage and effectively control the parade at its source."
Dundon wrote that since the announcement that the Garda would be accommodated in the 2024 parade, which will take place on Saturday, March 16, he had received "over 20 resignations from parade volunteers who served as part of the Formation Committee."
In recent weeks, reports in Irish newspapers pointed to assertions from Garda sources stating that the Garda Siochana had not been invited to take part in the 2024 parade.
Parade organizers, in turn, pointed out that marching groups are not invited to march but are rather asked to apply to march.
In a statement carried by the Dublin-published Sunday World newspaper, parade organizers said: "The recent media reports regarding the An Garda Síochána not being invited to the NYC St Patrick's Day Parade are inaccurate.
"The NYC St Patrick's Day Parade does not invite any group to march in the parade. Groups seeking approval to participate in the NYC St Patrick's Day Parade must first fill out a form with their intent to affiliate. The process to affiliate/ seek approval is open early Fall with a deadline of December 15, 2023.
"The NYC St Patrick's Parade office received a letter requesting that the An Garda Síochána be included in the line of march in late January. This was well past the December 15 application deadline."
Ultimately, the matter of the missed deadline appears to have been set aside. Meanwhile, a report in an Irish newspaper had a government spokesman stating that the Irish government had not made any representations to parade organizers regarding Gardai taking part.
“It’s a shame as members of An Garda Síochána have represented Ireland with distinction at many parades in the past, but if they haven’t received an invite to take part in the New York parade this year, it is not for the Government to get involved," Minister Simon Harris told the Irish Mirror.
Somehow, the matter of complaints over alleged Garda misbehavior in 2023 and the protocol dealing with invitations versus applications appears to have become entangled.
Meanwhile, the Echo understands that pare organizers have received assurances that Gardai marching in the upcoming parade will adhere to parade marching rules.
Garda officers who march in the New York parade do so as individuals. They have to obtain permission to wear their uniforms outside of the Irish State and must cover their own expenses. When marching they join fellow police in the NYPD, from around the U.S. and other countries including Canada and Britain. In 2014, and for the first time, members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) joined Gardai in the march up Fifth Avenue.
After being contacted by the Echo, parade chairman Sean Lane responded by expressing regret over Mr. Dundon's resignation.
"Reilly has made enormous contributions to the parade and our community over many years. I deeply regret his resignation," Lane said.
