KERRY:Thousands of people thronged the sun-filled streets of Killarney yesterday which had as its theme a plea to "holiday at home" in 2009. The parade took almost two hours to pass the viewing stand, featured a German marching band from near Stuttgart along with nine other bands, including the Cullen and the Millstreet Pipe Bands, and the Prison Service Pipe Band.
Among other visitors were the Springfield USA marching group and Quest of the the Classics USA, which arrived in period costume. American Legion veterans marched and the army reserves colour party started the afternoon.
Among the dignitaries in Killarney were the mayor of Springfield, Illinois, Tim Davlin. He led a large group to the town for the occasion. Killarney is twinned with Springfield and the mayors and councillors of some of the tourist town’s other twins, including Pleinfeld in Germany and Kendal in England were also on the viewing stand.
Grand marshal Mick O’Dwyer had a bit of a start when the horse bringing his carriage to the stand reared up startling Jackie Healy-Rae who was already seated on the stand. “That horse is very lively,” Healy-Rae remarked.
There were 18 parades in Kerry, including one held by the annual Dingle Fife and Drum band, whose origins go back to the days of the Land League.
Banned then from marching between the hours of dawn and dusk, the Dingle Fife and Drum instead took to streets at 6am on each St Patrick’s Day to avoid the curfew and have maintained the tradition since.
It set off with 40 band members yesterday as well as a new uniform.
Tralee’s parade had a German flavour, thanks to a “cultural partnership” between Tralee and Frankfurt-Hochst. It was preceded by a multilingual Irish-English-German mass in St John’s Church, Tralee .
The German ambassador Christian Pauls was guest of honour and the grand marshal was Margaret Dwyer, founder member of the Rose of Tralee festival which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
– ANNE LUCEY
DONEGAL
An Orange Order band took part in the Donegal town parade yesterday. Members of the Moyne Pipe Band, based near Laghey village, marched behind groups of céilí dancers and traditional Irish bands. The group was boosted by the presence of Orange Order pipers from Augharonan near Fintona, Co Tyrone, on their way home from the Sligo parade, where they have participated for seven years.
The band marched just 100 metres behind a group of soldiers carrying a Tricolour, but minus the regular paraphernalia of July 12th celebrations.
Jim McElrath, one of the pipers from Augharonan, said: “It’s been an enjoyable experience, but those of us who have taken part in the Sligo parade for the past seven years are not surprised. It’s wonderful that the climate exists for us all, Protestants and Catholics, to celebrate together the day that is recognised across the world as a special day for all Irishmen.”
– PADDY CLANCY
DERRY
Thousands of people lined the streets of the centre of Derry yesterday for the St Patrick’s Day parade, organised by the City Council. Almost 30 floats and about 1,000 participants took part in the main parade from the council’s offices at Strand Road along the banks of the river Foyle at Queen’s Quay.
The city’s growing multicultural population was reflected in many of the floats and by many of the community groups.
There was also a family friendly non-alcohol series of open-air events in the Guildhall Square for most of the afternoon.
Police officers in high-visibility jackets were on duty at junctions throughout the city centre and no incidents were reported.
– GEORGE JACKSON
MAYO
Twenty-one floats took part in the annual parade on Clare Island, Co Mayo, making it the largest parade held to date on the island.
Nearly all of the island’s population of 170 turned out for the celebrations, which were held in bright sunshine.– TOM SHIEL