The 255th annual New York City St. Patrick's Day parade on Thursday showcased the homosexual movement and shut out a pro-life group that wanted to take part in the event, the world's largest celebration of Irish heritage.

"I never thought I'd see the day when I could march up Fifth Avenue in the St. Patrick's Day Parade with my husband. "When we started in 1991, after getting arrested so many times for protesting the parade, wow, what a moment this is," said Brendan Fay, chairman of the Lavender and Green Alliance, the second homosexual activist group allowed to march in the parade, according to LifeSite News.

The first one was Out@NBCUniversal, a pro-LGBT group for NBC employees which was allowed to parade last year as organisers disregarded the parade's policy to focus on Irish heritage.

The Irish Queers declared "a total victory" when the application by the Lavender and Green group was approved

According to the parade's website, the event is held "in honor of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland and of the Archdiocese of New York."

But the change in the policy was also to include a pro-life group which wanted to march but was ignored by the parade organisers.

The Children First Foundation (CFF) applied for the 2015 parade but was rejected.

Personhood Education New York's phone calls or emails about applying to march were never answered by the parade committee, according to founder Dawn Eskew.

"What bothers me is that they never responded," she said, the National Catholic Register reported.

Parade chair John Lahey earlier said the 255th edition of the annual event would be "the most inclusive parade in the 255-year history of the parade," according to NBC New York. "And really I think it will be the most unifying parade in the past 25 years."

Lahey publicly backtracked on the committee's promise to allow a pro-life group to march last year, saying "That won't be happening."

"What we want to do is keep 2015 focused on the gesture of goodwill we made towards the gay community with the inclusion of OUT@NBCUniversal," he said.

The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights (Catholic League) pulled out of the parade last year when organisers rejected a pro-life group and allowed a homosexual organisation.

"We were double-crossed," said CFF President Elizabeth Rex. "I would never apply again because I fear they could then actually use our entrance to allow pro-abortion groups to march. It's going to be the end of the St. Patrick's Day Parade, which it already is."

She lamented that "they're claiming a complete victory for tolerance but no, they are intolerant to Catholics who believe that life is sacred at the moment of conception."

Pro-abortion New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio joined the parade this year after boycotting it for two years when organisers refused to allow a gay group to march in the parade.