Albert E. Smith named as 2013 grand marshal of NYC's St Patrick’s Day Parade

yes AE Smith was on the SVMC board when the hospital went from being in the black to now being condos for rich people. A large part of our Irish culture in NYC sine 1849 is gone and under his leadership. The sisters of charity amazing commitment to healthcare from the AIDS crisis Titanic survivors , 9//11 attacks, the shirt fire factory women. A cornerstone of the Village s gone. He should be in hiding not the grand Marshall...a disgusting and shameful voice..what is wrong with us Irish

Article states he sits on the board of St.Vincent's Catholic Medical Center.St. Vincent's NYC was the largest Catholic Hospital in the US. It closed recently and turned into million dollar condos. Was Smith part of the group that ran it into bankruptcy?

Those of us who sincerely wish to see this great parade reflect dignity and respectability on NYC's Irish community would much prefer if its Grand Marrshal or any other parade dignitory did NOT tell us to "have a drink", especially before or during the parade. The 'Irish' Consul Gereral's remarks are rather interesting: "...grand marshals who reflect so well on our country...". By "our country" this diplomat means the independent Irish state, not the whole Irish nation. The fact is that the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade was first held more than 1½ centuries before the founding of the Irish Free State and the parade represents all of Ireland's 32 counties, including the 6 northern ones that the Dublin government considers part of G.B. Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh go léir.