Hundreds flock to parades to celebrate our patron saint

COMMUNITY spirit was at on all time high on March 17 as the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade returned to local villages with a bang.

Crowds in the thousands flocked to parades in Clondalkin, the Four Districts, Palmerstown and Lucan to revel in the festivities in the traditional form for the first time since 2019.

In Clondalkin, organisers believe that it may very well have been the biggest ever parade and for anyone that was there, they can understand how as some 10,000 people took to the village.

“Thousands turned out to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and thousands more took part in a great celebration of community and as our grand marshal said a community of volunteers that keep so many groups going,” Chair of the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Clondalkin, Cllr Francis Timmons, told The Echo.

“I am delighted that after two years of no parade the Clondalkin Patrick’s Day Parade made a return to Clondalkin village.

“We were delighted that the Clondalkin Youth Band and the St Josephs Pipe Band both took part. Tommy Keogh charmed as this year’s Grand Marshall.

“The feedback so far has been very positive and it was a family day out full of fun and laughs.

“The K&G funfair and DJ Joey Howe kept the crowd entertained. Lots for everyone to see and do and we had fun again after the last two years, we all needed a bit of fun and a good day out’’

Considering the scale of this year’s parade, there may be room to extend the route in Clondalkin next year to compensate for the larger numbers.

It was also bittersweet for the Clondalkin parade as Vincent Dolan, founder and director of Clondalkin Youth Band, retired after 37 years and passed the baton on to Neal Christopher on the day.

In Lucan, there was also a tinge of bittersweetness as founding parade organisers Barbara Cummins and Mary Meehan retired from their duties.

Holly, Mia, Aoife, Rosie, Jessie with dogs Kobi, Lexi, Bonnie and Lola in Rathcoole

It was also the first time that the parade was run since the passing of another founding organiser, Peter Brady, who died in 2021.

The Peter Brady Memorial Cup was established for best in parade and was presented to Lucan Sarsfields on St Patrick’s Day.

There was a spectacular turn out from the GAA club as hundreds of young future sporting stars marched through the Lucan streets in the parade.

Thousands of onlookers were entertained by a variety of different acts such as Lucan Concert Band, motorcycles, the different sports clubs in the area, scouts and loads more.

There was also a magnificent invasion of the parade by vikings, as a reminder of the historical connection between vikings and Lucan.

Over in Saggart-Rathcoole, the Four Districts Parade went down a real treat as the excitement manifested into thousands of people on the streets.

The Four Districts Parade is comprised of groups from Rathcoole, Saggart, Brittas and Newcastle.

Well-known publican Louis Fitzgerald, who owns the Old Mill in Tallaght, Laurels in Clondalkin and Poitin Stil in Rathcoole, lead the Four Districts Parade as the Grand Marshall.

There was grand floats, vintage cars, a pipe band, sports clubs and community groups which took part in the parade which started at Rathlawns and made its way towards St Mary’s GFC in Saggart.

Meanwhile, there was no parade held in Tallaght this year.