As celebrations continue around the world, this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin, Cork and other cities, towns and village in the Republic of Irland are marking their celebrations with a variety of festival, attracting hundreds of thousands.
Under the theme of spréach - the Irish word for spark - today’s parade in Dublin begins on Parnell Square North, before moving through O’Connell Street and across the river Liffey, before heading down Dame Street, Lord Edward Street, Nicholas Street, Patrick’s Street and ending on Kevin Street. In Cork the St Patrick’s Day parade will begin at Parnell Bridge/South Mall and will continue along South Mall to Grand Parade, to Patrick’s Street and will end on Merchant’s Quay/Parnell Place.
As part of Cork’s festival there will be an afternoon céilí at the city hall and a circus at Elizabeth Fort, whilst Galway’s St Patrick’s Day parade will be its largest in the city. There the City Council have organised a series of events over the Bank Holiday weekend with a parade running through Galway city centre for more than an hour.
The theme for the parade this year is Olympics 2024 and will see up to 3,000 people taking part in the spectacle starting at University Road and go over the Salmon Weir Bridge to Eglinton Street and past the viewing stand at Eyre Square, concluding on Prospect Hill. In Limerick, their parade, themed “a different kind of energy”, will march down Henry Street, with the Reviewing Stand located on Henry Street (opposite the Savoy Hotel) at the junction of Bedford Row and Shannon Street.
Local dance troupes, schools, community groups and musicians will be taking part in Belfast’s parade, with TradFest delivering St Patrick’s Music Weekend as part of its celebrations. A range of free and ticketed events span the traditional arts and include concerts, céilís, displays, taster sessions and workshops. There will also be celebrations at St George’s Market.
Taoiseach (Head of Government, of Prime Minister), Lei Varadkar, says: “St Patrick’s Day is an unparalleled opportunity to promote Ireland as a great place to visit, work, study, trade with, and invest in.” St. Patricks Day is also being celebrated in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat, Brazil, the United States, Argentina, Australia, South Africa, Nigeria, New Zealand – as well as throughout the United Kingdom. .
