Up to 5,000 people are expected to converge on Mallow next Sunday for the town’s 26th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Groups, comprising young and old representing sporting clubs, leisure clubs and schools together with local businesses and organisations are expected to take part.
The parade will get under way from Park Road at 2.30pm and proceed through the town to the reviewing platform outside Mallow Credit Union Offices.
Appropriately, the theme of this year’s parade is “The Gathering” and the organisers have gone out of their way to encourage friends and relations living abroad to come to Mallow for the parade. The Mayor of Mallow, Cllr. Noel O’Connor, and members of the Town Council will host a special reception for returning visitors and their relations, in the Town Hall at 1pm on Sunday.
One son of Mallow who will definitely be attending is Pat Cronin. Mr. Cronin, who is a Professor of Drama in East Tennessee State University, has confirmed that he will be attending the reception along with his relations in Mallow.”Pat is a well known actor, with years of experience, as well as being a prof-essor, and he has promised me, as Mayor, that he will have a special performance piece or maybe a poem or two for all attending the reception in the Town Hall,” the Mayor said.
This year’s Grand Marshal is David O’Leary who for many years has led the Reserve Defence Forces down Davis Street for the parade, as a Commandant of the RDF. This year he will lead the parade seated in an open topped 1900s vintage car supplied by Jimmie Bohan. The Thomas Davis Pipe Band will lead the way and will be joined by the Blarney Brass and Reed Band. Members of the Civil Defence, the Red Cross and Mallow Fire Service will also participate in the parade.
Among those on the reviewing platform will be the Mayor, local and national politicians, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, the Super-intendent of the Gardai, Canon Casey and Rev. Canon Eithne Lynch, while those returning for the parade will be represented on the platform by Professor Pat Cronin.