Media moguls to a báinín baby: Micheál Martin meets the world in New York on St Patrick's Day 

Four-month-old Séamus Carroll, sporting a traditional báinín (or bawneen) Aran cardigan and hat made his way into the Tánaiste’s arms for a series of photos by his Irish-American mother, Hannah Carrol.

Selfies, babies, Corkonians, and the girlfriend of a media mogul — Tánaiste Micheál Martin’s experience walking in the St Patrick’s Day parade in New York had it all.

Shortly after 11am in the Big Apple, Mr Martin and his entourage joined behind the New York City Police Department (NYPD) band with a sea of green on either side at Fifth Avenue on 44th Street.

Prior to the start of the parade, the Tánaiste was swarmed by members of An Garda Síochána for selfies, including two gardaí who are on exchange in New York with the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, having received a scholarship which was established in memory of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe.

Micheál Martin meeting the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland during the New York St Patrick's Day festivities. 

Hundreds of gardaí join the 150,000 marchers every year, with Donegal garda Emer Gallagher comparing the atmosphere to her passing-out ceremony four years ago.

“This is my first time walking in the parade,” she told the Irish Examiner. 

It’s absolutely class and brilliant. I’m here with the girls I was in Templemore with. My cousin is a firefighter and he worked during 9/11 and he’s marching as well — it is so special. 

Micheál Martin had just sent a quick text to his wife, Mary who was back in Cork, when four-month-old Séamus Carroll — kitted out in a 33-year-old Aran sweater — made his way into the Tánaiste’s arms for a series of photos by his Irish-American mother, Hannah Carroll.

Mr Martin was flanked by US senator Tim Kennedy and Letitia “Tish” James, the 67th attorney general of the State of New York who, in 2018, became the first woman of colour to hold statewide office in New York, and the first woman to be elected attorney general.

There were large pockets of Irish people among Americans who lined the streets and made it known that they were proud to be Irish.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin joined the parade with a group including US senator Tim Kennedy and New York attorney general Letitia 'Tish' James. 

Mr Martin noted there was a large number of people from the North at the parade as well as a large group from Cork and Limerick. 

One Dublin woman joked that her family had flown all the way to New York just to catch a glimpse of Mr Martin in the parade.

And she could have fooled him because, on a number of occasions, Mr Martin held up the flow of the parade as he found himself running from barrier to barrier with Irish people giving their well wishes, shaking his hand, and asking for pictures.

“Go on Micheál, up the Irish,” was often shouted at the Tánaiste who knew this was a moment to remember.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner during his walkabout, you could tell Micheál Martin was proud to represent Ireland on this particular day.  

“It’s a fabulous, joyous occasion and I’m very struck by the depth of the crowds here, the size of the crowds,” he said.

Young Séamus Carroll was but one of the people that US senator Tim Kennedy and Tánaiste Micheál Martin met during the New York St Patrick's Day parade. 

“I picked a bit of it up at the dinners during the week on how much it means to Irish-Americans and the families of many people whose ancestors or their great grandfathers and grandmothers came here and they feel it very deeply.

"And sometimes, we don’t appreciate that in Ireland — the degree to which Irish-America feels that this represents the triumph of the Irish story in America.

“Personally, it’s joyous.”

Not everyone was feeling jolly as one Irish woman held a sign that read ‘Saint Patrick missed snake Mehole Martin'. 

And, during a quiet period in the parade, one Irish man could clearly be heard roaring: ‘Go home and get some housing built. Fuck Fianna Fáil, you ran the country into the ground'. 

The colourful criticism did not receive any support from the crowd and was not anywhere near the verbal abuse directed at New York attorney general Letitia James by supporters of Donald Trump outside Trump Tower.

Micheál Martin pausing for a selfie with some of the spectators lining Fifth Avenue in New York for the St Patrick's Day parade. 

Last year, Ms James sued former US president Donald Trump and sought a five-year ban on him buying commercial real estate in New York, among other things.

As the New York State Troopers belted out ‘Amazing Grace’, Mr Martin finished off his hour of marching with an interview for NBC News.

While watching representatives from counties in Ireland pass by in the parade, Mr Martin continued to be greeted by faces from around Ireland but also,  unexpectedly, a brief hello from Ann-Lesley Smith — the girlfriend and rumoured fiancée of media baron Rupert Murdoch — who happened to be standing at the same spot.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin greeting members of An Garda Síochána who participated in the 2023 New York St Patrick's Day parade. File picture: Twitter

Earlier in the day, the Tánaiste had attended Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral after visiting New York City mayor Eric Adams at Gracie Mansion.

Shepherd's pies, savoury curry, and Irish coffees were being served at 6.30am at the mayoral estate in Carl Schurz Park — but it is almost guaranteed that Mr Martin skipped the unconventional Irish breakfast.

Dignitaries and guests at Gracie Mansion were also joined by pageant winners including Rose of Tralee, Rachel Duffy and Miss Immigrant USA 2023, Lana Tu from Vietnam.

CNN headquarters was one of the destinations on the Tánaiste's busy itinerary on St Patrick's Day. 

Nowhere else in the world does St Patrick’s Day like New York, Mr Martin told the crowd. 

It may have been the only time he went off-script, but he wasn’t wrong.