Galway parade: Fire crackers, flares, pitched battles with pikes - and a woman in bed with the wrong man. Such was the scene at Galway's Woodquay on the Corrib yesterday, when 4,000 men "lost their lives" in one day.
The gallowglass, billmen, archers and lieutenants were participants in a re-enactment of the Battle of Knockdoe, which took place five centuries ago this year in Co Galway. Principal protagonists were the Earl of Kildare, Gerald FitzGerald, and Ulick Burke of Clanrickard, while Eustacia, the earl's daughter, watched much of the conflict from her large "leaba". The smoke bombs and fire crackers aimed to represent gunshot - Knockdoe being one of the first Irish battles where gunpowder was employed.
Former Macnas member, Robert Smith, was commander-in-chief for the scrap, which involved some 80 volunteers, and was billed as the highlight of yesterday's St Patrick's Day parade in Galway city. Woodquay was chosen as the new "review" venue for this year's event, due to the current re-landscaping, uprooting and axing of trees in Eyre Square. However, the thousands who thronged into the old market square had some difficulty in seeing much of the battle activity, and even the dignitaries on the viewing stand were straining their necks.
The patron saint wasn't forgotten about in all the excitement, appearing in many guises among some 50 groups in the preceding parade, which took a new route through Shop Street. "Watch out, the serpent Bush is coming" read the placard carried by members of the Galway Alliance Against War, bearing a serpent with the US president's head and St Patrick in hot pursuit.
Politics was also represented by the Palestine Solidarity group, while sport was the theme for several entrants, including Connacht Rugby, the Galway Community Games, Galway Judo Club, divers from the city's sub-aqua club and the Liam Mellows juvenile hurling club.
Among this year's visitors were the New Hampshire Police Association's band, the Shamrock and Thistle Bagpipe Band from Ocean County, New Jersey, in the US, the St Francis Pipe Band from the Gorbals in Glasgow and Cercle Celtique Armor Argoat from Brittany in France.
Over a dozen school bands made their presence felt, including St Nicholas's National School bearing swans and beating drums, Tirellan National School, Scoil Chaitríona in Renmore and Scoil Bhríde in Shantalla. Among the noisiest participants were the Galway Fire Brigade - with three tenders - while religion was represented by members of the Abundant Life Christian Centre, handing out the gospel of St John.
Prison officers from Wheatfield Prison were represented in the Irish Prison Service Pipe Band, and the Galway Early Music Festival, the Colours Street Theatre Group, Mike Arrigan's and Macnas drummers - followed by hyenas, tigers, monkeys and flamingos - elicited some of the loudest cheers. However, there was a sense of urgency among many spectators as they departed in bright sunshine, checking their watches.
For them, the most important spectacle - and battle - was back east in Croke Park, where the Galway team, Caltra, was gearing up for the All-Ireland club football final. And they brought home the silverware.
