Mallow Rainless parade a great success
APART from a brief shower earlier in the day, the Mallow St Patrick’s Day Parade went off rain free.
Despite the wind and bitter cold, hundreds of people wrapped up well to brave the elements and to enjoy a very colourful parade.
The parade, which this year had the theme ‘ Active Living In Mallow’ proceeded from the Park Road at 2.30pm led, as is tradition, by members of the R.D.F and the Thomas Davis Pipe Band.
The honour of Grand Marshall this year fell on the shoulders of former Mallow COPE Foundation stalwart Gerry Mullane who was greeted warmly by the crowds who lined the streets.
Appropriately he was accompanied by cyclists from the Chain Gang Cycling Club, which is made up of service users of the sports department at the COPE Foundation, Mallow.
Local children were the real stars again this year, walking under many banners and representing various organisations, including Mallow Rugby Club, Mallow GAA Club, Mallow Town Football Club, Tae Kwon Do Mallow and the Cork BMX Bike Club.
Both the Tae Kwon Do and the BMX people performed in front of the reviewing stand with daring acts to the delight of the onlookers, a dance group from Centre Stage under the guidance of Aideen McAullife were magnificent in their act and there was much applause for members of the COPE Foundation.
Other groups who took part were the Mallow Darkness Into Light group with their Alaskan Malamute (dog) mascot; Mallow Prayer Group, Bright Star Crèche, Eileen’s Dance School, North Cork Responders, Mallow River Rescue, Red Cross, Tria Brosnan Oils, Fire Brigade, Exterior/ Interior Solutions and Dante Pizza.
The winners in each category were Chain Gang Cycling Club (Educational), First Responders (Community and Voluntary Groups), Tae Kwon Do (Sporting), Tria Brosnan Oils (Industrial and Commercial). The Window Display winners were Brosnan Boylan Golden Insurance while Stunners Hair Salon were second, and joint third were Mulcahy Pharmacy and Mulcahy Opticians.
Before the commencement of the 700-strong 2019 Parade the Junior Cuisle Avondhu Orchestra got the crowd going with their inspirational arrangements of traditional Irish music. Rosaleen O Leary, Co- Ordinator of Cuisle, said she was very proud of the young people for their performance on the day and said that Cuisle was delighted to be part of the parade.
The final group on stage prior to the parade’s arrival were Casadh o Thuaidh, a group of twenty musicians who learn their musical prowess from classes under the auspices of Cork ETB.
Reviewing the Parade were Noel O’Connor, chairman of the Parade Committee; Deputy Sean Sherlock; Canon Eithne Lynch; Archdeacon Anthony O’Brien, PP; Cllr’s Melissa Mullane and Gearoid Murphy; John McDonnell and Michael O’Neill from the Mallow Development Partnership; Pat Hayes, President of Mallow Chamber; Michael O’Boyle , chairman of Mallow Rugby Club along with Leona Hanley of Brosnan Boylan Golden.
MC Michael O’Donovan gave a running commentary on proceedings and even chipped in with a few songs.
As with previous years, the parade judge was s John O’Connor, Farming Show Host at C103 ably assisted by Nicola Finnegan.
In his address Noel O’Connor said this was a really good parade with the number of groups participating well in line with the norm for Mallow parades.
He also thanked the four hard-working officers of the committee Maire Ui Bhriain, Roisin UI Ceilleachair, Hannah Sheahan and Trevor Flaherty,