Towns across north Cork and south Limerick have been busily gearing up for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parades, all of which take place on Sunday. The St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Charleville will start with the parade after Mass in Holy Cross Church at 12 noon. The Parade will proceed down the Main Street to the reviewing stand outside the AIB. All local community groups, sporting clubs, schools and businesses are expected to take part. This year’s parade will again be led by Paddy Morrissey who last year replaced the late Mixie O’Toole who had led the Charleville Parade for many years. Newly elected GAA PRO, Martin O’Connor will be MC for the event and his colourful commentary will surely be enjoyed.
The biggest parade in the area is expected to take place in Mallow where usually more than 5,000 people attend. This year’s parade, the theme of which is The Gathering, assem-bles at 2.30pm in Park Road and will proceed to the centre of the town to the reviewing stand in front of the Credit Union Offices. 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 Com-mandant of the RDF.
Kilmallock’s traditional St Patrick’s Day Parade led by the Anglesboro Pipe Band will commence at the Church at 1pm and will move through the town to the reviewing stand at the People’s Hall. The theme of this year’s parade is the 1960s and will be led by the Grand Marshal, recently retired Station Officer at Kilmallock Fire and Rescue, Mike Moloney.
Elsewhere parades are planned for Buttevant commencing at 10.30am at Barrack Place and Churchtown starting out from the local National School at 12.30pm and led by the Thomas Davis Pipe Band. The Bruff Parade will move off from the local Dean Cussen School at 2.30pm and, like Mallow, the theme is The Gathering.
A parade will be held for the second year running in Ballylanders, commencing at 3pm, where among those appearing will be Voice of Ireland contestant Keith Hanley.
There will be s first ever parade in Herbertstown and it is due to take off at 11am.