CORKMore than 50,000 people descended on Cork city for the parade which was led by the Cork All-Ireland women's senior football team and their camogie counterparts.
The Saturday parade, which lasted 50 minutes, kicked off the three-day Cork St Patrick's Festival. This year saw a record number of participants with more than 2,700 people from 65 groups taking part, including representatives from Brazil, Poland and Africa. The parade was an Olympic- themed event with contributions from Cork Community Art Link, Cork Circus and Dowtcha Puppets. The Barrack Street band made its 130th appearance. The group was officially founded as a temperance band by Fr Theobald Matthew in 1837 and first became involved in the parade in the 1880s. The festivities today include a food market with more than 40 stalls -
OLIVIA KELLEHER
BELFAST
Giant grinning versions of Northern Ireland golfing champions Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke dominated the parade in Belfast city centre.
This was a day geared towards celebrating local achievements: 2012 was the theme, marking a big year for Northern Ireland, including the Titanic centenary in April and the Irish Open, coming to Portrush in June.
It was an exuberant and good- natured parade. Lord Mayor of Belfast Niall Ó Donnghaile said it was “a great display of the cultural wealth of the city”, adding: “I’m delighted to see the East Belfast Mission’s Irish language class carrying their bilingual banner”.
Afterwards, 8,000 people packed into Custom House Square for a concert featuring the X Factor's Sophie Habibis, a delicate wreath of shamrocks painted on her face, and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, who drove the crowd wild with a bagpipe rendition of Snow Patrol's hit song Chasing Cars.
FIONOLA MEREDITH
GALWAY
Giant rats and ghouls, a supersize serpent and seven zombie bankers chased by a mitred St Patrick were among participants in one of Galway city’s largest parades in years. Up to 70,000 people attended the event, according to gardaí.
Irish international footballer and Barna native Dora Gorman (19), was guest of honour, travelling in a 1923 Model T Ford provided by the Western Veteran and Vintage Motor Club. The medical student had been nominated as “teenager of the year” for her many sporting achievements. Parade director Caroline McDonagh of the West of Ireland Networking had assembled over 80 groups, ranging from the Russian Cultural Club Alliance and the Blue Teapot Theatre Company, to Ballinfoile organic gardeners and the fire and anvil blacksmithing enthusiasts of Cumann na bhFear.
Former mayor and Fine Gael councillor Pádraig Conneely refused to take his seat on the reviewing stand in Eyre Square, in protest at the continued presence there of Occupy Galway camp. The camp, blanketed in green, had organised a series of events for visitors, including face painting and storytelling.
LORNA SIGGINS
LIMERICK
The theme of this year’s parade was “The World in Union” which celebrated Limerick’s huge community base, its ethnicity and diversity. There were lively performances from the Filipino, Indian, eastern European and African communities while the Latvian entry, featuring brightly coloured costumes, music and national symbols, took the honours award for Most Entertaining Float.
Some 60,000 spectators lined the route as University of Limerick founding president Dr Ed Walsh led out more than 4,000 colourful participants. One hundred different community groups, companies, bands and sports clubs took part.
Yesterday, more than 1,300 musicians, from America and Europe took part in the 2012 Limerick International Band Championship.
DAVID RALEIGH
KERRY
Eighteen parades ranging from the traditional pre-dawn fife and drum march in Dingle, Co Kerry, to one of Killarney’s largest parades to date took place in Kerry.
Sixty-one entrants took over an hour to parade through the streets of Killarney.
It was led by litter pickers made up of local business people in honour of the all-out effort which secured Killarney’s Tidiest Town in Ireland title in 2011.
A giant green tyre symbolised the €5 million collected in the annual Ring of Kerry charity cycle which began in the town 29 years ago.
In Tralee, two giant floats struck a controversial note with the floats objecting to proposals to put a road through the town park. Some 6,000 signatures have been collected to date. ANNE LUCEY