Grand Marshall
"America's Irish Hero"
MICHAEL MORAN
FDNY
Mike (center) chats with
Parade Chairman Ed Moran and
Parade Participation Chairman John Jordan.
Mike Moran is 38 years old born Sept 23, 1963 in Rockaway Beach, Queens, where he lived his entire life. He graduated from Beach Channel High School in 1981 and then attended St. Francis College for one semester before dropping out to go to work.
Mike worked as a sand hog [digging tunnels) and also for Coca - Cola Bottling Company for two years before going into the police academy in January, 1984. He then worked as a policeman in Brooklyn until joining the New York City Fire Department in August, 1985.
He was assigned to Engine 231 in Brownsville, Brooklyn (Mike Tyson’s Neighborhood) where he worked until transferring to Manhattan’s Ladder Co 3 in 1990, where he still works today. Ladder Company 3 lost 12 members 9/11.
Mike was just engaged to his long time love, Donna Jo Strillich of Cedar Rapids Iowa. (Donna was a three time all American swimmer at the University of Iowa)
His father, Walter Moran was a retired fireman. He passed away in 1980 of cancer. His brother Charlie retired as captain of Ladder Co 9 in Manhattan.
Mike’s grandfather John Moran was born in county Lietram and immigrated as a young boy. He and his brother Joe founded the Sandhog Union, Local 147, the Compressed and Free Air Tunnel Workers Union.
Sadie Coyle, Mike's grandmother, was his only grandparent born in America. Her family was from County Cork. His mom, the former Peggy Murphy, was born in the Bronx and retired as a vice president of Jamaica Savings Bank. She still lives in Rockaway in the house where Mike grew up.
Her parents Michael Murphy and Nancy Mckevitt were from county Armagh in the town of Killean where cousins still live in the house were his grandfather was born and where Mike often visits. They came to America in 1927.
Mike’s brother John was a battalion chief in the special operations command (an elite unit in charge of all Rescue companies in the city). Although John was off duty as of 7:00 am on September 11th, he was still in quarters and responded to the Trade Center with chief Ray Downey. John’s body still hasn’t been recovered, but there is still hope. John is survived by his sisters Mona and Ellen, his wife Kim and his two boys Ryan 7 and Dylan 3 and his mom Peggy.
Mike has a cousin Tommy Woods also a fireman, and a cousin Joe Crowley who is a U. S. Congressman from Queens N.Y.
Mike gained national attention when, as he was leaving the stage after singing at a benefit concert in Madison Square Garden, he recaptured the microphone from the emcee and explained in a few choice words how he felt about Osama bin Laden and where Osama might like to plant a kiss.
