PADDY’S DAY
From f ireworks to night parades, there’s something for everyone right across the country
PAGEANTRY 1 WATCH A PARADE
The parade is back almost nationwide this year, and there will scarcely be a Massey Ferguson unwashed the length and breadth of Ireland.
The Dublin Parade is referred to as the ‘national parade’ (although they’re unlikely to convince anyone outside the Pale of that, especially in Cork). And as usual it will also be broadcast live on RTÉ television for the diaspora’s benefit.
From noon, Paralympic and Olympic heroes Ellen Keane and Kellie Harrington will lead the parade from Parnell Square over the Liffey to Trinity and on to St Patrick’s Cathedral. You don’t need tickets unless you want a seat in one of the grandstands.
The first-ever parade in Ireland was held in Waterford in 1903, the same year the saint’s day was made a public holiday. The grand marshal there this year is Lego-lover Finn Ryan of Late Late Toy Show fame. It starts at 1pm and heads along Parade Quay towards the Mall.
Cork’s parade from South Mall to Merchants Quay starts at 1pm. It’ll be a noisy one as the grand marshals are Blood Bike South, a volunteer motorbike service that transports medical supplies to hospitals.
The Galway parade begins at 11.30am at the Cathedral and heads over the Salmon Weir Bridge and past Eyre Square. As usual it will feature street theatre troupe Macnas with their giant creations.
For a different, why-did-no-one-thinkof-this-before kind of spectacle, Crossmolina in Co. Mayo has its parade in the dark, with the town lit up and a procession of illuminated floats. It’s called the Electric Light Parade and starts at 7pm.
The parade from Ballina to Killaloe is an unusual – and scenic – one as it crosses the Shannon at the mouth of Lough Derg, hence linking not only two towns but two counties – Clare and Tipperary. The parade in Limerick city, kicking off at noon, features an autism-friendly area with a marquee and a sensory room. Sligo’s parade is at noon, Kilkenny’s is at 1.30pm, and the parade in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, is at 3pm. Also in Donegal, organisers of the Bundoran parade are asking animal lovers to bring their pets – it’s likely they’ll draw the line at snakefanciers though, not least in case people think St Patrick didn’t finish the job!
THEATRE AND STREET SHOWS
2 GO TO THE CIRCUS
Dublin city council has commandeered the grounds of the National Museum at Collins Barracks for its Festival Quarter, with various events being held there over the four days. From Thursday to Sunday there will be a daily performance (at 4pm, 4.15pm and 4.30pm) by Belfastbased Tumble Circus at the Spiegeltent Mór in the Festival Quarter. With juggling, acrobatics and comedy, it’s perfect for families and each event is free.
On Saturday and Sunday in the Spiegeltent Mór at 1pm, Guido Fanzini presents a 40-minute comedy circus called the Thunderous Entertainment Haberdashery and a nonverbal street show is on Thursday and Friday.
3 WATCH STREET THEATRE
Street entertainers Hakuna Matata present a street acrobatics show in Kilkenny on St Patrick’s Day at 3.30pm, and again on Saturday, March 19. And there will also be stilt walkers and jugglers on the streets of Kilkenny over the six days of the festival.
4 SPEAK IRISH TO BILINGUAL PUPPETS
Also on Saturday, Little Gem Puppets presents a bilingual puppet show called The Salmon of Knowledge and children are encouraged to chat to the puppets in Irish. There’s one at 12.30 and another at 1.30 in Dublin’s Festival Quarter.
5 WITNESS AN AERIAL EXTRAVAGANZA
FireFly is an aerial spectacular in Limerick with Fidget Feet aerial dance company and fire performance troupe Rogu. It’s free at the Potato Market at 8pm on Saturday, so book ahead at limerick.ie
6 CATCH A DELAYED FIREWORKS DISPLAY
Kilkenny city plans to make good use of the fireworks it had laid on for its Christmas festival, which had to be pulled due to Covid. The display over Kilkenny Castle starts at 7pm. It’s not free but a family ticket costs just €11.53 and its proceeds go to St Vincent de Paul. Waterford is also planning a fireworks display at The Quays at 9pm on Saturday, March 19.
7 VISIT A FUNFAIR
There will be funfairs and food stalls in various towns around the country. Dublin’s City Funfair is open every day for the festival at Custom House quay, while Limerick has a Ferris wheel at Arthur’s Quay Park until April 21. Kilkenny has a vintage carousel and a Ferris wheel, Galway has a vintage carouse and Waterford has a funfair at John Robert’s Square.
8 PLAY RETRO GAMES
For retro-style fun, Dublin’s Festival Quarter has an Actual Reality Arcade, with giant playable models of vintage games. It’ll be in the SPF Óg area of the Festival Quarter from noon every day from Thursday to Sunday.
MUSIC AND DANCE 9 TRY A TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENT
Killeshandra Tradfest takes place in the Co. Cavan town from March 17 to 19, with free music and dancing events plus workshops where you can try the instru
ments. Book a free spot at thisiscavan.ie
In Kilkenny, children aged 10 to 18 can get a feel for the uilleann pipes at a Try The Pipes workshop on Friday, March 18, at the Parade Tower in Kilkenny Castle. It’s at 11am and you have to book (stpatricksfestivalkilkenny.com)
10 HEAR LIVE MUSIC IN CITY OF THE TRIBES
Eyre Square will host free family enter tainment with live music from 2pm to 8pm over the fourdays of the festial. Acts include 4 Men and a Bass (March 20), Ultan Conlon (March 19), and award winning composer Anna Mullarkey Apples (March will 18). perform on St Patrick’s Day. Galway five-piece Amazing
11 BANG A C DRUM IN KILKENNY
Kilkenny is home to a giant community drum in the city for the festival. Its diam eter is over four metres and it can be played by 25 people at once, which will be a good test of whether that many people can hold a beat together. You’ll find it from 1pm to 5pm between Thursday and Satur day at The Mayors Walk.
12 PRACTISE YOUR TRAD DANCING
Fancy a Céilí Mór with former