Feast of fun on St. Patrick’s Day
BUNCLODY
Over 2,000 people will gather to view the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Bunclody at 10.45 a.m.
Floats for the parade will assemble at Glanbia from 10 a.m. with the marchers gathering at the library at 10.15 a.m.
The parade is one of the best as you get to view it twice – it will go along the Main Street to Ryland Road before returning back to its starting point.
The Blessing of the Shamrock will take place at 11 a.m. at the Market Square.
Music and entertainment will be provided by Liam Sharkey from 10 a.m. until 12 noon on the reviewing stand while Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy will act as MC on the day.
A large number of local groups, schools and marching bands will take part in this years parade with Marshalstown GAA Club making their first appearance. The Bunclody ICA will make their thirtieth appearance, as they have not missed one parade to date.
St Patrick himself will make an appearance on the day and there will be a colour party from the Reserve Defence Forces.
This year horses or animals will not be allowed to be in the parade for health and safety reasons.
To take part in the parade or for more information contact Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy on 087-6736966.
CARNEW
Carnew’s annual St Patrick’s Day Parade sets off this year at 1 p.m. The organisers are expecting around 50 entries featuring a wide range of participants.
They will be led by grand marshal Edward Dowse who will also be bringing along his ten restored vintage Nuffield tractors. Edward is a member of the Carnew Ploughing Society and also the County Ploughing Association. Other vintage enthusiasts are also expected, as well as Carnew Musical Society, the GAA and ladies GAA, Scoil Aodan Naofa, and the people behind the upcoming South Wicklow Drama Festival.
They will be highlighting the fact that they will be hosting the All Ireland Drama Festival next year.
Entrants will gather on the Gorey Road from 12.30 p.m. onwards. The parade will finish at Coláiste Bhríde where refreshments will be served, and the presentation of prizes will take place.
Categories include best overall float, most topical float, and more. There’s also a prize for best window display for local businesses. Parade MC’s Kevin McEvoy and Michael Kinsella will provide a running commentary on the day.
Sincere thanks go to Carnew Training and Development Centre, South East Security, and all parade sponsors. More are welcome. Excess funds raised will go to community projects. Contact Carnew Training and Development Centre on 053 9426555 for an entry form or to volunteer to help on the day.
MONAMOLIN
The village of Monamolin will hold its first ever St Patrick’s Day Parade at 11 a.m. on March 17.
It is being organised by sisters Caroline Farrington and Gertrude Rowlands and they have roped in the support of various locals and organisations. Caroline explained that their mother, Margaret O’Leary of Garrydaniel is in her 97th year, and it is her wish to see a St Patrick’s Day Parade in the village, so they set about putting one together.
‘We contacted the parish committee, the GAA, the school, and people involved in music,’ she said. ‘We even have a St Patrick!’
She said that the people of Monamolin have all gotten behind the event, and they are expecting to see vintage cars and tractors, pikemen, sports clubs, music groups, and fancy dress entries on the day. The village will be decorated with bunting and refreshments will be served in the local hall afterwards. The local school children have been busy creating flags and banners and members of Buffer’s Alley GAA Club are helping decorate the village
The parade will begin at the Church of Ireland church, and proceed towards the school. Entrants will begin assembling from 10.30 a.m. and the parade will begin at around 11 a.m. MC Tom Lawless will provide commentary on the entries. And of course, leading the parade, in a vintage car, will be the grand marshal, the lady responsible for it all, Mrs Margaret O’Leary.
CLONROCHE
CROWDS will be descending on Clonroche for this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade which kicks off at 2 p.m.
Up to 80 local businesses and organisations are expected to have floats in the parade along with around 25 different groups. Parade participants will gather on the Enniscorthy side of the village at 1 p.m. and parade through the town at 2 p.m.
The village has had a parade every year since 2008 and its popularity has been growing year on year with people travelling from surrounding villages and townslands to enjoy the spectacle.
DUNCANNON
EVERY year the coastal village of Duncannon offers Ireland’s most unique St Patrick’s Day Parade bringing visitors and locals alike onto the stunning crescent shaped beach.
This year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade in Duncannon begins at 4 p.m. at the Star of the Sea church, while activities for all the family kick off on the beach at 2 p.m. with bouncy castles, archery, a golfball run, trampoline, penalty competition, soccer tournament, cake stalls on the green, with tea and coffee services, and a local crafts exhibition featuring the work of students from Ramsgrange Community School.
Seamus Long and the Deputies will provide musical entertainment on the day and the award winning New Ross & District Pipe band will be performing.
There is always a great atmosphere in the seaside village on the day, which, for many, is their first visit to a beach in the calendar year.
WEXFORD
WEXFORD will mark 100 years of St. Patrick’s Day parades on March 17 with a centenary event to remember, featuring an aircraft fly-over by the Defence Forces and a spectacular show by street theatre company Buí Bolg.
A giant, slithering snake chased by a succession of St. Patricks will form the centrepiece of the Buí Bolg entry with over 100 participants involved in the display.
Wexford enjoys the distinction of being home to the oldest parade in Ireland which was established in 1904 when a committee of residents invited the Mayor and members of Wexford Corporation to join a procession organised to ‘ traverse the principal streets of the town on the 17th March instant, in honour of the National Apostle of Ireland’.
The Corporation accepted the formal invitation and the rest is history. While the first parade took place in 1904, there were a number of breaks due to war and weather and this year will be the 100th year that a St. Patrick’s Day procession has happened in the town.
Excitement is building about the event which won’t be short of marching music as at least nine bands have signed up to participate. The organisers led by chairman Michael O’Reilly and parade secretary John Fowler have put in a supreme effort behind the scenes to ensure that the 2017 parade is an extra special one.
The parade will start assembling in the Fisher’s Row area at 9.45 am with Defence Forces troops and emergency service organisations in the lead, followed by other groups and floats.
Explaining the logistics, John Fowler said all participating groups are informed in advance of their position and sequence in the parade to avoid chaos and confusion on the morning of the event.
The parade will move off at 10.45 am, proceeding down William Street, Trinity Street, Paul Quay, Crescent Quay and Commercial Quay passing by a reviewing stand adjacent to Wexford Bridge into Redmond Place and Redmond Square.
A number of road closures will be in place from 9.15 a.m. from Brendan’s Road into Maudlintown, from the Maudlintown traffic lights down into William Street, Trinity Street to the junction of Parnell Street/ Trinity Street. No traffic will be allowed into this area until after the parade has started.
Mr Fowler said safety is paramount. ‘Anything that turns up for the parade that in the eyes of our safety officers is a danger to anyone will not be allowed take part’ and anyone taking part should obey the stewards’ directions.
The prize-giving will take place in Macken’s, The Bullring, at 7 pm on March 18.