London St Patrick’s Day festival marked by show of solidarity with Ukraine

The blue and yellow of Ukraine flew alongside the Tricolour in London on Sunday as St Patrick's Day festivities in the English capital were marked by solidarity with those suffering from Russia's invasion of its neighbour.

Speaking on stage at Trafalgar Square at the London St Patrick’s Day festival event following the parade, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the people of Ukraine were victims of a “barbaric and immoral” war.

“It’s important that as we come together during the St Patrick’s Day festival that we highlight and illustrate and show our solidarity with the people of Ukraine,” said the Taoiseach, who was wearing two scarves, one green and the other blue and yellow.

London-based Ukrainian Natalia Lesyuk was a grand marshal for the event, along with 11 Irish representatives of the frontline workers who kept Britain going through the Covid pandemic, including paramedics, firemen, and supermarket cashiers. The theme for this year's festival was a celebration of London's essential workers.

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Det Chief Supt Tara McGovern of the Metropolitan Police, who hails from Sixmilebridge in Co Clare, said it was "brilliant" to be joined by members of the Garda at the event.

“We are just representing our organisations and it’s been a real privilege – all the cops that worked during the pandemic. It’s been great.”

Following her appearance on stage alongside Mr Martin, the two police forces are “all going to get together and have a few drinks”, she said.

Another grand marshal, station commander Brien O'Keeffe of the London Fire Brigade, said it was a "great privilege" to represent his organisation and its "Emerald Society".

“It’s been marvellous. It was nice to have breakfast in Bentley’s – Richard Corrigan’s restaurant – and then [I] got to meet Micheál Martin, who recognised my accent from Cork, around the corner from himself.

“I had a little chat with him, unexpectedly, and he’s much taller than I expected him to be – that was fantastic.”

‘Great honour’

Nathan Cahill (31), from Tuam, Co Galway, was invited to be a grand marshal for his work as a paramedic with the London Ambulance Service during the pandemic, and charitable fundraising for the Irish in Britain.

“Even the rain can’t put a damper on everything today. It’s been a great honour and great fun so far,” he said.

Musician Anthony Keigher, stage name Xnthony, who took the stage after Mr Martin, said "it was great to see everybody back out" after lockdowns.

“I told Micheál Martin I was happy he was warming the stage up for me. That was quite good that he did that, it took a lot of the pressure off me actually.

“I thought he was great – I’m sure people will be shocked and appalled that I shook the hand of a politician but, you know, he’s a hardworking man. He’s doing his thing and he seemed really nice. He told me a bit about his day – every little detail, he went through his itinerary, he had met Boris [Johnson, the British prime minister] – very cute.”

Speaking to the media at the event, Mr Martin said his family, like others, would reflect on taking Ukrainian refugees into their homes.

“We would all play our part in that, I think these are personal decisions that every family has to take and we will respond in relation to that as a family. We’ll discuss that,” he said. “We’re obviously reflecting on this, of course, like everybody else.” – Additional reporting: PA