Rosemary O’Neill to act as Grand Marshal at St Patrick’s Day Parade

Mallow will put on its brightest smile tomorrow as the town marks its 31st annual St Patrick’s Day Parade, and this year’s event will have a very special guest on the reviewing platform, in the form of Rosemary O’Neill, daughter of the late Thomas ‘Tip’ O’Neill, the former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, whose ancestors emigrated from Mallow to the United States in the mid-19th century. Rosemary flew from the US to Ireland last weekend, and was special guest at the opening of the Tip O’Neill Exhibition in Cork City Library last Monday, She is attending several events in Mallow today, and will wear the Grand Marshal’s sash with pride in tomorrow’s parade in the town which her father visited several times and had great affection for.
About 25 groups have entered the 2017 edition of the St Patrick’s Day Parade, and they will assemble from 2pm in the town park, before setting off at 2.30pm, led by a colour party and members of the Reserve Defence Force. The parade will make its way from West End to Bank Place, and will pass the reviewing stand in front of the former Mallow Park Hotel before dispersing. Traffic restrictions will be enforced and barriers will be in place to safeguard the thousands of spectators. The theme of this year’s parade is ‘Mallow, a Great Place to Live In’.
The organisers are hoping for good weather and are asking everyone in the local community to go along and join in the spectacle.