ALL NEW LOOK FOR LOCAL PARADE
DROGHEDA’S historic West Street will again host the 2020 St Patrick’s Day parade.
The new route will see the parade take off from the Palace Street area, down Laurence’s Street, onto West Street, passing the viewing stand at St Peters, turn left down Dominic Street, on around by Bru and back out onto Shop Street from Dyer Street. It finishes at The Mall on North Quay.
Organisers have already tested the route with large trucks and it works.
The launch of the event in the Westcourt Hotel heard Sarah Taaffe pay tribute to the past committee who had done so much to keep the parade going for more than 30 years. In fact, Isabel Sanroma, who headed it up, will be the Grand Marshall for 2020.
Thanks were given to the various sponsors, including CocaCola and especially Wogan’s Build Centre.
The likes of Louth CC, Love Drogheda campaign and the gardai were just some of the others who have played their part to date.
Declan Kierans from the committee also acknowledged others such as the OPW, St John Ambulance, the port, shopping centres, etc for the team effort.
Eoghan Darcy revealed that a special area will be fenced off at the bottom of Dominic Street for children and adults, facilitated by Louth/Meath autism group.
Grand Marshal Isabel Sanroma thanked Wogan’s for stepping in to assist the parade in its hour of need and she said she accepted the Grand Marshal on behalf of all the people who kept the parade going down the years.
Attracting further sponsors for 2021 is something Declan Garry is promoting for next year but anybody interested in helping out in 2020 is also very welcome! Volunteers, some 100 in total, are also needed to marshal the route.
Gerard Wogan described their sponsorship as ‘giving a little back’ to a town that had supported their business.