Irish Night at Brady Park

As usual, it was a great night for the Irish.

The Massapequa community joined together for the Annual Irish Night Concert at Brady Park on Saturday. The festivities were hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 15 of Nassau County.

Attendees enjoyed fresh beverages and food, including the famous Irish soda bread, accompanied by live traditional Irish music by the Gabe Hickey Band. Other performances included Champion Irish step dancers and the Tara Pipe Drums of Massapequa.

Local communities in Nassau County have hosted similar appreciation days for other heritages, but many have since trickled out. The Irish population has carried their local festivities in Massapequa longer than any other group, a staple of their strong foundations.  

“We’ve been doing this for over 30 years. We have had a great crowd tonight and people enjoy coming out here,” said Paul Brennan, a longtime member of the Tara Pipes and Drums group. “We are proud of our tradition and proud of our Irish heritage.”

A few hundred residents, along with a few town officials, showed their support at Brady Park and experienced some of Irelands’ most deep-rooted traditions just around their local street corner.

“I am an Irish American and am very involved in the Irish heritage and the Ancient Order of Hibernians,” said Rita Bluett, a local resident of Massapequa. “I also support the Ladies Division and Division 15 in Massapequa.”