40 groups sign up for Tallaght parade so far

Forty community groups signed up so far for the Tallaght St Patrick’s parade, coming back to the area after a long time.

Along with the Tallaght Marching Band and the classic parade vehicles, there will be dance schools, sports clubs, schools, and the Civic Panto marching.

“The groups are all from the locality, from the Tallaght area,” said SDCC Community Development officer, Joe Lumumba.

“We hope to have someone in place as the Grand Marshal by the end of this week.”

South Dublin County Council funded the parade, responding to a great “demand from the public and councillors,” and they are planning to launch its comeback next week.

The parade will start on the Old Blessington Road beside TU Dublin at 1.30pm and head towards the Dragon Inn. It will move down the Main Street towards the Main Stand beside Cafe Aon Sceal and turn at the traffic lights opposite Bank Of Ireland and travel down the Greenhills Road. It will then end at TU Dublin when it take a turn into the college opposite Tallaght Athletics Club.

Members of the public are invited to reach the starting point from 11.30am, as the Tallaght Athletic Club 5km race will also kick off at 12pm.

The community had a “brilliant reaction” to the parade plans, said Mr Lumumba.

“It’s something we wanted to do as the local authority considering the demand from the public. People from Tallaght and beyond are going to be there.”

“It’s the first year it’s back and we’re hoping to build on it for future years.”

The last St Patrick’s Day Parade in Tallaght village was held in 2019, with the planned 2020 parade in the village having to be cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.