INSIDERNJ’s annual tribute to St. Patrick’s Day and our list of Irish American leaders is our way of acknowledging the accomplishments and contributions of New Jersey’s Irish Americans.

Once again, the list includes dozens of newcomers and veterans alike with profiles of those who take pride in their Irish American heritage.

Last year, with a shout out to Governor Phil Murphy and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, we featured a retrospective of James Hoban (1755-1831), an 18th century Irish American, born in Kilkenny, Ireland, the son of tenant farmers who, after emigrating to America in 1785, won a commission from George Washington in the 1790’s to design and build the White House.

This year’s “Tip of the Top Hat” is a salute to three men of the Giblin clan, New Jersey’s iconic Irish American family whose roots can be traced to Tibohine, Frenchpark, County Roscommon, and to the counties of Longford, Meath and Mayo, Ireland.

A long way away, to be sure, from the leafy suburban town of Verona, New Jersey where the grandson of the tribe, the 2024 Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal, now resides.

Third Generation is the Charm

A unique and recent feature of the Giblin family’s Irish heritage is that this year, for the first time in the storied history of the 89^th Anniversary Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Grandfather John J. Giblin (1951), son Thomas P. Giblin (1975), and grandson Edward “Ted” Giblin (2024) will have worn the Grand Marshal’s top hat and sash to lead New Jersey’s oldest Irish parade.

The age-old motto of the Newark St. Patrick’s Day parade, which dates to 1936, is “Keep the Tradition Alive.”

Tom Barrett, compiler of the list, would like our readers to know it is purely subjective. We hope you enjoy it.

Download the Irish American List here or view it below: