Mickey McCreesh
Feb. 27, 2013 By Bill Parry
Sunnyside resident Mickey McCreesh will serve as Deputy Grand Marshall at the 38th annual Rockaway St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday.
The honor was bestowed on the co-owner of Bar 43 after his tireless efforts to help the area recover after Hurricane Sandy.
“Mickey did tremendous work for us,” said the parade’s director Michael Benn. “He was down here every weekend after the storm.”
McCreesh was one of the founding members of Sunnyside Cares, a group dedicated to providing hurricane relief. Sunnyside Cares ran a successful fundraising event—sponsored by the local bars/restaurants—that raised about $20,000 for Rockaway victims.
McCreesh led the efforts of dozens of volunteers during countless convoys to the storm ravaged peninsula bringing emergency supplies collected at his bar/restaurant. “We made runs for 11 weekends in a row,” said McCreesh. “I finally had to take a break before Ann-Marie [McCreesh’s wife] divorced me.”
Ann-Marie held down the homefront caring for the McCreeshs’ two-year old daughter and newborn baby son.
Benn said that McCreesh deserves to be recognized by the Rockaway community. “It’s the least we can do to thank him,” he said.
The honor surprised McCreesh, a very large and humble Irishman. “I was shocked to tell you, the God’s honest truth,” he said. “There were a lot of people from Sunnyside who volunteered to help and open up their wallets, too. I don’t think I should be singled out for any praise.”
The Rockaway St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 1pm at Beach 130th St. and runs all the way to 105th St. and the Shore Front Parkway at The Irish Circle.
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8 Comments
Well-Deserved!
Thanks for all the good you do, Mickey!
Micky you look great in red lipstick….hope to see you at the St Pat’s for all Parade! Thanks for all you do!
Heartwarming! A role model for all of us.
Congrats! Well deserved!
Now that is a real parade – unlike the silly one we have!
BTW – this is a great picture of you and Saoirse!!
That’s GREAT! Good for you, Mickey! The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Rockaway is always so much fun! I’ve gone to the Irish festivals in Rockaway many times since I was a child and have such fond memories of those times! We can’t go this weekend, though – so have a blast!