New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has been named Grand Marshal of the 2010 St. Patrick's day Parade in New York.

Husband-and-wife entertaiment superstars Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony attended the announcement at the Irish Consulate today.

Kelly is the first police commissioner to be named Grand Marshal since Michael Codd led off the parade in 1975.

Kelly, who was named the 2006 Irish American of the Year by our sister publication Irish America Magazine, said he was honored to be  recognized.

Kelly was born and raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and attended Catholic schools before joining the Marine Corps and serving in Vietnam.

Kelly's career in Vietnam has been uncannily reflected by his son Greg. As a young First Lieutenant in Vietnam Kelly was interviewed by Dan Rather for American TV and while in 2003, his son Greg, a journalist with Fox News, became the first TV journalist to transmit pictures from Baghdad during the initial invasion.

Kelly joined the NYPD in 1960 and graduated first in his class from the Academy.

He first became Police Commissioner in 1992 under Mayor David Dinkins and many said it was his knowledge of the department which made him such an effective leader.

In 2002 he was became commissioner for the second time and is the first person to hold the post for two nonconsecutive tenures..