More than 50,000 people lined the streets of Cork City for the welcome return of St Patrick’s Day Parade.
In the second city of the country, there was a parade, characterized by a lot of color, music and performances by a clearly enthusiastic audience.
With Olympian Rob Heffernan as MC, a fast pace was set from the start – this year the Big Marshals – the biker Charity Blood Bike South chose to give up their trusty horses to go the way!
In all, about 2,500 people from community, arts, and sports groups participated throughout the city, and there were also many foreign visitors, including a delegation from the Massachusetts State Troopers, and the Bixby Ruby Group from Oklahoma.
The young athletes from the city were out in large numbers and clearly very happy to be back – among the clubs that took part, hurlers and footballers from St Finbarrs and Nemo Rangers, and cricketers from the Cork Cricket Club.
A contingent of servants and former Gardaí also took to the mark to mark the centenary of the An Garda Síochána.
Leading the way – a vintage Vauxhall Victor Garda car used for a 1971 US presidential visit.
While it was a day full of joy, the war in Ukraine was also in the minds of the people, with loud and sustained applause everywhere along the way for the Together4Ukraine group, which represents Ukrainian, Georgian, Lithuanian, Hungarian and Moldovan communities in Cork .
From the main stand, they received a standing ovation from the municipal councilors and the management under the leadership of Mr. Colm Kelleher and Foreign Minister Simon Coveney.
And with the Barrack Street Brass Band, the Cork Arts Collective and Luxe from Donegal – with their gigantic multicolored swimsuits – made sure that even when it rained, which it did, the mood remained sunny!
Limerick Hurler leads festivities
Limerick’s All-Ireland Winner Hurling Team – Winners of the Liam MacCarthy Cup 2018, 2020 and 2021 were Grand Marshals of this year’s Limerick City St Patrick’s Day Parade.
They carried the trophy as part of the parade as they celebrated the city’s festivities this year. 250 Club GAA members took part in the parade.
The theme of the parade was ‘Belonging and Identity’, which marked the comeback of the national celebrations live events on the streets after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic.
The organizers expect to attract up to 50,000 spectators.
Before the parade began, Limerick Hurling star Aaron Gillane said: “It is a great honor for us to be the Grand Marshals for the parade, and it is a great privilege for us as a team.
“I know there will be a lot of clubs from all over Limerick that we have not been able to see in the last two years, so we are looking forward to seeing them all.”
In many ways, this was the first time that the public could properly celebrate their last two All-Ireland victories, as Covid prevented street celebrations, so this was an opportunity for Limerick fans and loyal supporters to show their appreciation and admiration and thanks to the Team.
The route of the parade was changed this year due to upgrade and revitalization work on the capital O’Connell Street.
The parade began at noon and went from Crescent down to a section of O’Connell Street before diverting Cecil Street, then Henry Street up and down Arthurs Quay where the stand was.
The parade kicked off a four-day festival weekend in the city, which will see an air and fire party at the Potato Market on Saturday, featuring the air dance group Fidget Feet at the ROGU Fire Performance Company, the Panorama Marade at Arthurs Quay Park, and the 50th International Band Parade on Sunday, featuring 15 bands from the US and UK, as well as local bands.
Ennis, Co Clare
The theme of this year’s Ennis Parade was “Coming Together” – suitable for an occasion where people reunite and reunite for the first time since 2019 in Clare’s capital.
It was also dedicated to its frontline workers, which this year included its large marshals with nurse Mhairi Barron of Ennis Hospital, Dr Bruce O’Donnell of Ennis Medical, and Julia Fitzgibbon Hayes, a family support worker from Enable Ireland.
Nearly 40 groups and floats have participated this year, representing the wide range of cultural, music, drama, dance, sports and community organizations for which Co Clare is famous.
Musical entertainment was provided before the parade began at 11 a.m. with the Ennis Gospel Choir and Comhaltas both performing in the city.
Ennis Tidy Towns, who has brought the city such pride as a national winner, has also participated as well as Clare youth theater groups in international and local bands.
Over 50 groups take part in the Tralee Parade
The theme of the parade in Tralee, Co Kerry, was “Let’s Go Green”, to celebrate the impending completion of a 13km greenway between the town and the harbor village of Fenit.
The green railway line, which runs along the line of an old railway line, will be opened in the coming weeks.
Local cycling club, The Chain Gang, shared the front of the parade in Tralee with 12 Little Heroes, children introduced specifically for the day in An Garda Síochána.
More than 50 groups took part in the parade in Tralee, including many local sports clubs.
Additional reporting Jennie O’Sullivan, Cathy Halloran, Paschal Sheehy
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