An array of St Patrick’s Day parades are set to amaze the masses tomorrow across the country.
For those of you thinking of lining the streets and showing your support the the groups, bands and committees that will make up the colourful and musical display, here are the main parade times to ensure you are in the right place at the right time.
Dublin start time: Noon, from Parnell Square North to St Patrick’s Cathedral.
Cork start time: 1pm, from South Mall to Merchant’s Quay via Patrick St.
Galway start time: 11.30am, from Dominick Street to Prospect Hill
Limerick start time: noon, down O’Connell St.
Waterford start time: 1pm on the Quays.
Early start for Kerry parades
– Anne Lucey
Kerry’s St Patrick’s Day parades will get off to an early start with the first parade in the country in Dingle due before day breaks.
At 6am the Dingle Fife & Drum Band will take to the streets in keeping with a long tradition which is usually supported by hundreds of enthusiastic followers. The band will march from the Old Hospital, around the town bringing a magical start to the day, but being careful to give new snake pit at the Dingle Aquarium a wide berth.
At 10am at the mouth of Dingle Peninsula it is the turn of the Milltown parade in Mid-Kerry.
This is followed by the main Tralee event at noon. This parade will be unique in the town’s history as the theme will be based around Tralee 800 — a celebration of the birthday of Kerry’s county capital. The grand marshall this year will be Special Olympics gold medal winner, Brendan O’Connell, from Tralee. The parade will get under way at noon and will travel from John Joe Sheehy Rd through Boherbee, and on to Castle St before finishing on Denny St. Meanwhile, the Castlemaine parade will begin at noon; the Sneem parade is at 12.30, and the Castleisland parade is due to start at 1pm and participants are asked to assemble at 12.15 outside McElligott’s on the Tralee Rd to register. Killorglin is also at 1pm.
Then it is the turn of Killarney which has a whole festival planned around this year’s St Patrick’s week. Often the most colourful in the county, the Killarney parade kicks off at 2pm. Cahersiveen’s parade is also at 2pm. The Ballyheigue parade is set to get under way at 3pm. Castlegregory in the west is also at 3pm and Waterville will be one of the last at 4pm.
Cork parade times
Ballincollig
Starts at 3pm at the Supervalu car park
Route: Harrington St and Main St
Bandon
Starts at 2.30pm in the car park of St Patrick’s Church.
Route: South Main St, McSweeney’s Quay, and Weir St
Blarney
Starts at 3.30pm at the secondary school
Route: Shamrock Terrace, Millstream Row, Church Corner
Carrigaline
Starts at 1.30pm on Kilmoney Rd
Route: Down Main St and over the Dell Bridge
Castletownbere
Starts at 3pm at east side of the pier
Route: West end and into the square
Cobh
Starts at 3.30pm at Cobh Heritage Centre
Route: Along Low Rd
Clonakilty
Starts at 3pm at Ashe St Car Park
Route: Faxbridge to Western Road
Fermoy
Starts at 11am at Cavanagh’s on the Cork Rd
Route: Cork Rd to Patrick St
Kealkill
Starts at 3pm in the village centre
Route: Through the centre of the village
Kinsale
Starts 4pm in The Glen
Route: The Glen, Pearse St, and the pier
Macroom
Starts at 3.30pm on Cork St
Route: Main St as far as town square
Mallow
Starts at 2.30pm in Mallow Town Park.
Route: Thomas Davis St and Main St
Midleton
Starts at 3pm at Baby’s Walk
Route: Main St, finishing at the viewing stand outside AIB
Mitchelstown
Starts at 1pm on Georges St
Route: Church St, Cork St, and then finishing up in the Main Square
Skibbereen
Starts at 4pm in the carpark of Morgan O’Driscoll’s Antique shop
Route: Ilen St, Main St, finishing in the Fairfield
Youghal
Starts at 2.45pm at the Brehon Rd roundabout
Route: Catherine St, past the Devonshire Arms, along North Main St finishing at Dolphin Square.
Also for the first time ever, the New York parade will be broadcast live in Ireland tomorrow by Ireland’s first international channel Irish TV.
The parade celebrates the centenary of the Easter Rising and will be led by legendary peacemaker and former US Senator George Mitchell, the architect of the Good Friday agreement.
The programme will be broadcast live by Irish TV from 3-7pm tomorrow on Sky 191, Freesat 400, eVision 191, all free-to-air boxes and online at www.irishtv.com.
“We are honoured that Irish TV allows us to share this great celebration of St Patrick and our Irish-American traditions and values with the people of Ireland,” said St Patrick’s Day Parade Board Chairman John Lahey.
“As we march behind Senator George Mitchell, our grand marshal and a man respected and beloved in Ireland, we will mark the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising and send a message of unity back to our brothers and sisters in Ireland.”
Watch the New York parade online at www.irishtv.com
