On March 14th, an Irish- and English-language Mass was held to
St. Patrick's Old Cathedral
celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick at Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral, New York’s first Cathedral. This Mass, just like the first one, held in March 2008, was extremely well-received by the Irish-American community. The 2009 event brought even more people into the historically-significant edifice, as it was filled almost to capacity.
This event was co-sponsored by the New York Irish History Roundtable, Glucksman Ireland House at New York University, and by Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral.
Washington Square Harp & Shamrock Orchestra
As our guests filed into the church, piper Lisa Farber played the bagpipes. The readings were done in both Irish and English. Father Andrew O’Connor and Professor Padraig O Cearuill of Glucksman Ireland House-NYU handled the Irish readings. Irish-language vocalists Patrick Connolly and Dawn Doherty sang beautifully, and Jared Lamenzo played liturgical music on the church’s historic pipe organ, built by Henry Erben in 1868.
After the Mass, a party was held in front of the church, complete with traditional Irish music played by the Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra, refreshments, and camaraderie.
Father Andrew O’Connor of Holy Family Church in The Bronx, Monsignor Donald Sakano, pastor of Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral, and Father Gavin Reilly were concelebrants of the Mass.
