Massive attendance for Rathdrum event
AVONDALE Community College student Sean Byrne had the honour of leading this year’s colourful St Patrick’s Day Parade in Rathdrum.
Organisers of the event have described it as one of the best ever attended parades.
Sean was the overwhelmingly popular selection as this year’s Grand Marshal following his numerous successes in the Young Scientist Competition. Sean has entered the Young Scientist Competition four times and at this year’s competition he won the Self Help Africa Science for Development Award for his project titled ‘An Eggshell Filtration System to Remove Pollutants from Water’. His prize includes an Irish Aid-sponsored travel bursary, which will allow him to travel to Africa to further his work.
The parade started at noon outside Avon Motors and MC Denis Carter was his usual good-natured self and kept proceedings ticking along with his witty banter.
Jimmy O’Shaughnessy of the St Patrick’s Day Committee said: ‘It was one of the biggest parades we have had here for years. We had over 30 participants, including floats and marching bands, and there was a wonderful attendance. It was a great day overall. There was a shower just before the parade began but the weather all cleared up in time for the start and it remained dry for the rest of the day. We are already talking about next year’s event and what we can do to top this year.’
The parade was followed by live music as Rathdrum was consumed in a sea of green, white and gold. Sean Byrne, Grand Marshal for the Rathdrum parade.