Hoboken Guards Unveiled @ St. Paddy’s Day March

Local celebrity baker Buddy Valastro may carry the title “Honorary Grand Marshall” of the 25th annual Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day Parade, but those of Irish lineage will agree that the birth of the Hoboken Guards Hurling Club takes the cake in terms of Irish pride and historical relevance on this day in the Mile Square City.

The Hoboken Guards are the first mixed Irish-American hurling club in New Jersey history. Hurling, the oldest, fastest and most skilled field sport on the planet, was played in Hoboken in the 1850s. Read our “History” section for more info.

Twenty strapping lads in their 20s and 30s, the Guards will rally at Mulligans Bar – our sponsor – at 11:30 a.m., 149 First Street., and make our way to the start of the parade at 14th and Washington. It’ll be hard to miss our athletes Saturday, decked out in  black, white and red jerseys, with hurleys (sticks) and sliotars (balls) in hand. If we’re not in our jerseys, that means the folks in a nameless express shipping company within Newark Airport couldn’t – or wouldn’t – get our box “Cleared in Customs”  on time. Its a box of jerseys, shorts and socks from Dublin, folks, have the Shepard sniff it.

Our club, which is both a sporting and social organization, will compete in the New York Gaelic Athletic Association’s 2011 Junior Hurling League out of Gaelic Park on the campus of Manhattan College between April and July, 2011. An updated club calendar will be displayed prominently on this site shortly with practice and game times and special events.

With pride, we introduce the Clash of the Ashe.