Dublin's St Patrick's Day parade has been a roaring success for past four years, since it was taken over by the St Patrick's Festival Committee chaired by the Gate Theatre's Michael Colgan. Now Colgan is resigning, due to pressure of theatrical work, and some of the committee may go with him including executive director Marie Claire Sweeney and festival director Rupert Murray.
So, the days of the parade's success may be numbered. Sources told Quidnunc that Colgan wrote to the Minister for Tourism etc, James McDaid, immediately after this year's parade, on March 22nd in fact, to tell him he was quitting what is, after all, an unpaid and time-consuming post.
So far so good? Well, not quite. The department is so reluctant to let Colgan go that it wants to meet him to discuss his decision. Because of pressure of work on both sides, this encounter has yet to occur. So anxious is Colgan that his departure be accepted and the way cleared for a successor for the millennium that he told his board this week that he is off.
A source said that, if department acceptance of Colgan's going is delayed much longer, he may be accused of leaving the festival in the lurch.
Despite reports that some Dublin councillors may be happy to see the back of him, the criticism of this year's parade has not played a part. Last month Labour Cllr Dermot Lacey told the Corporation's cultural committee that there was virtually no Dublin focus to the parade - "and if I hear another person beating a drum I think I'll go mad." It was disappointing, he said, and he was angry that the Corporation's financial and organisational contribution didn't get enough credit, something the committee denies.
Green Cllr Donna Cooney was worried about security during the fireworks and criticised the £5m spent. The committee says £125,000 was the cost.
Colgan loved the task and has to give it up because he is taking plays all over the world in the next 12 months. The Dublin parade just doesn't fit in, he says.