St Patrick clearly struck a deal with the sun gods and, for the first time in forever, Dublin wasn’t frozen but bathed in warm sunshine prompting shocked locals and visitors to strip off and watch the biggest parade through the capital in short sleeves.
Parade grand marshal Patrick Kielty struggled to contain his emotion as the day dawned, with his voice audibly cracking when asked what it meant for him to be leading the 2024 parade.
He recalled growing up in Downpatrick, a town bitterly divided along religious lines, and said that when he was a child the notion that the two communities in his town would come together to celebrate the island’s patron state seemed impossible. “The journey from me walking past St Patrick’s grave as a schoolboy and ending up here is a massive deal,” he said.
Organisers suggested that up to half a million people watched the parade this year. When asked where that number came from, the head of the festival Richard Tierney said it was from various State bodies and stressed that not all 500,000 would line the route at the same time with people coming and going as the parade made its way through the city centre. “We prepare for 500,000 people – at any one time there will be around quarter of a million on the route so it is transient,” he said.
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Whatever about spectator numbers, there’s little debate about the money the festival generates. “It is huge,” Mr Tierney said. “It is worth about €113 million and it returns about €30 million to the exchequer. I don’t know if Irish people know it but it is good bang for its buck.”
Ailbhe Keane from Castleconnell, Co Limerick wasn’t thinking about money as she waited for the parade. “We came from Limerick and thought it’d be packed,” she said a full three hours before the first float passed her by. “It’s nice to come early, we have sandwiches packed and everything,” she said.
Sean Whelan from St Margaret’s in Co Dublin had been on O’Connell Street for even longer. “It’s definitely worth the wait. I’ve been coming every year since I was a kid and record it on the telly for when I get home, I might be the biggest St Patrick’s Day fan in Ireland,” he said
Shamira Durant was in the running for the biggest fan in New York crown, having travelled to Ireland for the weekend. She’d googled the best place to see the parade and was directed to the Daniel O’Connell statue. “I’m hoping to hear amazing music and see different outfits and the energy from everyone,” she said.
“Where else would you celebrate St Patrick’s Day? We do it in New York but it’s not the same. The food is so good, the people are so nice and sweet, the beer is good. Everyone has such a great sense of humour. I’m loving it.”
The parade with the theme spréach – the Irish word for spark – started lighting up the city streets shortly after midday.
One group looked at the circular economy while another focused on seagulls. An LGBTQ float drifted past in a sea of silver and pink while 14 marching bands and Mr Tayto – marking his 70th birthday – featured prominently.
Many cultures were on display with troupes from Ukraine, Bolivia, Peru and Lithuania competing for applause, though the popular favourite was a lone Palestinian folk dancer.
One person who missed out was President Michael D Higgins, who is continuing his recovery following a recent illness.
Caio Benício, the Brazilian food delivery driver who intervened in last November’s knife attack outside a school nearby, was a guest of the Brazilian consulate and briefly left his seat to hug the members of a samba troupe.
“I was at the parade last year but I was working so couldn’t really enjoy it,” he said as he spoke of his pride at being a guest this year. “It is just amazing, just amazing.”
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