THEY CAME in their twos and threes, beating the record for the most sets of multiples recorded in Ireland in the same place at the same time and raising more than €10,000 for charity.
In all, 252 sets of twins and triplets gathered in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, on Saturday afternoon for a parade led by Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf, the formerly conjoined twins who were separated at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London a year ago.
From 84-year-old identical twins Frank and Jimmy O’Byrne from Westport to five-week-old Ella and Daithí Marron from Carrickmacross, multiples of all ages walked, or were pushed, in a dazzling array of buggies along the 15-minute route of the parade, culminating in the town’s main square.
As the Benhaffafs led the parade around the corner into the town, a huge cheer went up from the waiting crowd.
Their mother Angie said that it was a very emotional day for her.
“I’m very proud Hassan and Hussein are leading the parade because I suppose we had so many sad days and so many days full of tears that it’s lovely to have something so positive and so happy.
“It’s lovely to meet other sets of twins and families that have shared in our journey. It’s a happy day,” she added.
Organised by the Carrickmacross Lions Club, this is the second year the parade has taken place.
It is the brainchild of Paddy Gollogly, who along with his twin brother Jimmy, cycled the route on a bicycle made for two.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Gollogly said he was on a high.
“It’s magical seeing so many twins in the same place. It brings a lump to your throat. All day in the town at every corner you’d see someone pushing a double pram,” he said.
Holding one of the Benhaffaf boys, he said: “It was just wonderful to have Angie and her family here today.”
Identical twins Brendan and Desmond Byrne from Carlow heard about the parade on the radio and knew they had to come.
“We’ll be 65 in September and we’re very close. We phone each other about 20 times a day and meet every day for lunch.
“We’ve had the same jobs all our lives as well – first as gardaí, now running a taxi company,” said Brendan.
“We do fight too,” he added wryly, observing this writer’s toddler twins engaged in warfare over the last sausage roll.
Bands and a funfair entertained the multiples and their families and a carnival atmosphere pervaded the town despite the grey skies.