No Parade this St Patrick’s Day
THERE will be no St Patrick’s Day parade in Dundalk this year, but a new committee has been set up to organise a programme of events to mark our national holiday on March 17.
The committee, which is chaired by the Chairperson of the Dundalk Municipal District, Cllr. Conor Keelan, will organise a series of music, dance and family-fun themed events in the town centre.
It was decided not to hold the traditional parade because of the time constraints and the ongoing refurbishment of Clanbrassil Street.
The committee comprising Cllr. Keelan, Cllr. Anne Campbell, Shane McBride (Pel- ican Promotions), Kevin Meenan (former councillor), Maria O’Toole (PayPal) and Kayleigh Mulligan (Louth Volunteer Centre), held their first meeting in the County Museum.
The voluntary committee got together to ensure that events would be held to mark St Patrick’s Day after Dundalk Chamber of Commerce announced that they would not be able to take on the task of organising a parade this year due to a lack of resources.
Cllr. Keelan said: ‘ We had a really positive meeting and it was decided that to try to organise a parade from scratch at this stage would be impossible. However, we are aiming to use all the goodwill that voluntary, cultural, sporting and community groups have shown in the past for St Patrick’s Day in Dundalk in order to offer families fun events for March 17.
‘And we want to hear from anyone who is interested in performing in the town centre on the day and from anyone who thinks they will be able to help us in any way. There is a lot of hard work ahead in order to make this St Patrick’s Day a success in Dundalk and I have no doubt that, with everyone’s help, we will do that’.
Anyone interested in performing, helping or assisting the committee in any way can email: stpatsdundalk@gmail.com.