William Patrick Hughes

 

This year’s Grand Marshal is Hampton Bays resident William Patrick “Bill” Hughes. The son of Martin Hughes and the former Mary Diskin of County Galway, Ireland, he is honored to have been selected and looks forward to leading his fellow Hibernians in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

 

​Bill was born in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn, where he attended Mary Queen of Heaven grammar school, and then St. Augustine and Tilden high schools. Once done with school, he worked as a carpenter and in a warehouse for six years before going to Wall Street to take a job as a figuration clerk. From there Bill worked up to Assistant Treasurer and kept going until he retired 30 years later as a Vice President in charge of Government Securities Operations. 

 

In 1966 Bill married his wife, the former Mary Ann Joyce whose parents were also from County Galway, after she graduated from Bellevue Hospital as a registered nurse. In their years together their family has grown to include six sons and daughters—Elizabeth, Kathleen, Eileen, Matthew, Regina, and Andrew—as well as 11 grandchildren.

 

Over the past 40 years as a part-time and full-time resident of the East End, Bill has been one of the community’s most active participants.  He has volunteered with the Southampton Elks, both before and after he joined Lodge #1574 more than 25 years ago. He served as House Chairman for 12 years and is also the current Treasurer of the Tiana Beach Club. For three years Bill was House Chairman and Treasurer for Knights of Columbus Council 7023 in Hampton Bays and is still a member of Brooklyn’s Council 497 after 52 years. 

 

In 2016, Bill is especially proud to be a charter member of Michael Collins Division 11 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and to serve as Treasurer of both the Division and Parade Committee.