St Patrick’s Day celebrations

As we pass the first anniversary of coronavirus restrictions, towns and villages around West Limerick will not have the usual parades which are such a feature of St. Patrick’s Day, but that doesn’t mean that the day can’t be celebrated. Limerick people at home and abroad are being invited to ‘tune in to take part’ in a jam-packed virtual Limerick St Patrick’s Festival featuring world class musicians and a host of online events on www.limerick.ie, highlighting the county’s rich heritage, including music, food, architecture, history and a celebration of our diaspora inter-nationally.
The Corbry Tree in Glin Town Park has been a beacon of light and hope in Glin since before last Christmas, and the tree will turn green on the days leading up to next Wednes-day before it is stored away until next Christmas.
Sadly, churches can’t open for Mass on the day, but parishes will have a special remembrance for those who have died at home and abroad during the past year. For example, Mass will be celebrated in Croom on Tuesday, March 16th, at 7pm, and on St Patrick’s Day at 11.30am, while Banogue parish will cele-brate Mass at 10am on St Patrick’s Day. Mass will be streamed live at www.croomparish.ie, and parishioners are invited to send in the names of loved ones so that they can be mentioned at the remembrance celebration. Dromcollogher has a very strong tradition of honouring the country’s patron saint, usually with the church as focus, and with the beautiful stained-glass window featuring St. Patrick looking out over the proceedings from his prominent position beside the altar. This year, the church is again taking the lead in marking St Patrick’s Day, combining the trad-itional Mass with a celebration of our national and local heritage. All six churches in the pastoral unit will be involved in the Mass, with music, poetry, readings and song. Everyone is invited to join in on the Pastoral Unit’s Facebook page, beginning with words of welcome from the six church communities at 9.45am on St. Patrick’s Day.
Several other parishes will also hold events, so check locally and come out and join in the celebrations in a safe and socially-distanced fashion!