Meet the Grand Marshal

GOSHEN — The Grand Marshal for this Sunday's Mid-Hudson St. Patrick's Day Parade is Goshen resident James O'Donnell.
O’Donnell is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 1, in Orange County and enjoys a proud Irish heritage. He is the son of John Kerry and Helen O’Donnell. His father served in 1970 as the Grand Marshal to the New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.
O'Donnell is currently serving as an Orange County Legislator in District 21 representing the Towns of Blooming Grove, Goshen, Wawayanda, and the Village of Goshen.
He and his wife of 46 years, Margaret, have eight children — Christy, Joanne, Jamie, Maggie, Michael, Molly, Ellen, and John Kerry — and seven grandchildren: Hudson, Luke, James, Cailyn, Keira, Maya and Grady.
O'Donnell had a distinguished law enforcement career beginning in the mid-1970s as a New York State Trooper. He subsequently advanced through the ranks to serve as captain.
In 1993, he returned to Orange County as Troop Commander of Troop F in Middletown. He was appointed Lieutenant Colonel in charge of all Uniform Trooper patrol operations and retired from the NYSP in 1997.
O’Donnell joined Orange County Government in 2004 to serve as the Director of Operations for the County Executive’s Office. He served the citizens of Orange County as Deputy County Executive until 2013.
"We are proud to have you as the face of the Mid-Hudson St. Patrick's Day Parade in 2019," says the Mid-Hudson St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee.
For more about the parade, please follow this link.