THE ST Patrick’s Day parade in Ballinafad, Co Sligo, was billed as the shortest in the country but the organisers did attract an Oscar- nominated film director, Paul Young, director of The Secret of Kells and a native of nearby Boyle, to preside over the event.
A highlight was the tractor-pulling competition won by a team representing Des McDonagh’s pub in Heapstown.
Visitors from Britain and the US joined revellers in Monaghan town yesterday for one of the biggest parades in the Border region.
Marching bands from the North participated in the parade which also featured floats from several local industries and commercial firms. Voluntary organisations and representatives from the public services, including Co Monaghan Fire Service, the Civil Defence and the Monaghan Sub Aqua Club, took part.
In Downpatrick, Co Down, thousands turned out in spring sunshine for the culmination of the town’s nine-day St Patrick’s Festival.
The centre-piece was the traditional yet spectacular cavalcade of floats, bands, and hundreds of people in fancy dress.
They marched under the parade theme of “Oh What a Wonderful World”. This was chosen to mark the United Nations International Year of Bio-Diversity and included an international cast with participants from Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Portugal and Romania.
There was a wreath-laying ceremony in the grounds of St Patrick’s cathedral on the stone which is reputed to mark the burial site of the national patron.
In Armagh, the Catholic Primate of Ireland Dr Seán Brady led the parade accompanied by the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Alan Harper, and the mayor of Armagh, Thomas O’Hanlon.
Kerry’s parades began in Dingle with the pre-dawn fife and drum marching band. Glorious sunshine brought crowds on to the streets in Killorglin, Tralee and all around the county. The star attraction in the Kingdom, however, was the Killarney parade where actor Michael Fassbender was grand marshal.
Fassbender led the more than 60 entries including several bands on a traditional jaunting car. Earlier he was accorded a civic reception in the council chambers.
Also in Killarney were the Polish ambassador to Ireland Dr Tadeusz Szumowski, as well as representatives from Staffanstorp, Sweden, and Pleinfeld, Germany.
Tralee saw up to 50 entries including an amusing Tiger Woods lookalike sporting a Husband of the Year T-shirt. Up to 6,000 people watched the parade.