WATERFORD:UP TO 30,000 lined the streets to help Alice, The Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts celebrate the city's long and proud tradition of glass making, in a parade entitled "Waterford Through The Looking Glass".
The parade was grand marshalled by Peg Tebay and Babs Murphy, two legendary Waterford city women who arrived in style and got a warm hug from the Mayor, Cllr John Halligan.
Prior to the start of the parade, dancers from the McGrath School of Dancing were kept on their toes as they entertained the waiting dignitaries on The Mall.
Starting at 1pm, the colour party made its way up the Quay and was followed by Waterford’s Army Reserves, An Slua Mhuire and the Civil Defence.
Even the threatening rain held off and it seemed that the sun and the looming clouds made a deal. And the result: overcast and temperate with no sun but no rain either during the parade. The usual colour washed over Waterford’s city streets with hurlers, basketballers, pipers, brass and flute band musicians, subaqua divers and of course Irish dancers, brightening everyone’s early afternoon.
The parade this year seemed to have a large social aspect with participating groups from countries such as Poland, India, Norway and Waterford’s twin city, Saint Herblain in France.
And the members of the Friends of St Patrick’s received great applause as they passed City Hall. The group is fighting to ensure that the HSE keeps its promise regarding a new 50-bed unit at St Patrick’s geriatric hospital following the closure of St Bridget’s ward there.
Of course, the local entrants also did their bit.
Acrobats, cowboys, gangsters and a girl atop a cake reminded us that this year marks Bausch and Lomb’s 25th Waterford birthday, while the “Denny house on wheels” took its show on the road.
“When you hear so much doom and gloom in the economy, it’s fantastic to see so many entrants here,” said Mayor Halligan.
