Don green, white and orange for St Patrick’s Day
THIS year’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations promise to be exceptional, with the event falling on the traditional day of worship.
This Sunday, many will don the green, white and orange to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland.
The Darling Downs Irish Club is inviting all Toowoomba residents to participate in the St Patrick’s Day Parade, which starts from the Irish Club Hotel at 10am on Sunday.
“There are a lot of people of Irish descent in Toowoomba. Around the turn of the last century nearly 25 per cent of the Australian population were Irish,” vice-president of the Darling Downs Irish Club Derm Guerin said.
“We always hold the parade on the Sunday closest to St Patrick’s Day, and this year it just so happens that the day falls on a Sunday.
“We’ve been doing the parade for 20 years now. It’s an opportunity for people of Irish descent or those who support us to get together and socialise.”
Mr Guerin said those of Irish decent would march behind one of the four county banners.
“We usually get around 100 people for the parade,” Mr Guerin said.
“One of our members dresses up like St Patrick with the long flowing beard, and behind him we have kids who tow rubber snakes - pretending he’s chasing the snakes out of Ireland.”