CORK:A CORK woman who last year became the first Irish person to swim the English Channel over and back in one attempt taking just over 35 hours acted as grand Marshal in the St Patrick's Day parade in her native city yesterday.
University College Cork student Lisa Cummins (26) from Blackrock, Cork, said: “It is fabulous – absolutely brilliant. The crowds are so, so good. Everyone is out in the green and gold.”
Up to 50,000 people lined the route of the South Mall yesterday as 2,100 colourful parade participants livened up a dull and dreary day Leeside. A 12-metre crocodile complete with Peter Pan and Captain Hook pirates proved to be the highlight for young children.
This year’s theme was “Ships to Shore”, celebrating Cork’s nautical history. Parade participants included Cork Circus pirate stilt walkers and mermaids, Naomhoga Chorcaí, life-size transformers, majorettes, and community, voluntary, Defence Forces personnel and brass bands.
The parade got under way at 1pm from the top of South Mall at Parnell Place and travelled down South Mall on to the Grand Parade, winding around St Patrick’s Street and finishing at the end of Merchant’s Quay.
Additional events taking place included the Barry’s Tea Food Market at the boardwalk in Grand Parade and free outdoor concerts from headline acts The Roaring Forties and Soul Driven.
Meanwhile, young children from Educate Together National School in Midleton participated in the town parade which got under way at 3pm. The theme was “Flowers and Flags”. Blarney had its first St Patrick’s Day parade since 1989.
The Fermoy parade kicked off at 11am. The Grand Marshal was local boy Owen O’Keeffe who, at the age of 16 swam the English Channel last September.Owen’s father George O’Keeffe assisted Lisa Cummins with her record-making challenge on the same weekend his son made history.