'I don't think it's gone forever!'

While there’s dispute about how this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Cavan Town has collapsed, there’s agreement that its absence will be a big loss for the county town. The cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council predicts that the parade will return in 2020 as this year’s absence will spark a renewed impetus.
The parade organising committee had been disbanded having understood that the Cavan Chamber would take over its running. The Chamber however insist that there was “never any firm agreement” to take over the running of the major event.
The Chamber is experiencing its own period of tumult and has an EGM scheduled for this Thursday to secure its future. The confusion over which group would run the parade finally emerged when the former organising group discussed the issue of volunteers for a church gate collection. The collection went ahead on February 2 and 3 as the permits had already been obtained. The funds are now set to be donated to charity.

Michael Mooney, former chair of the organising committee, says he received confirmation from the chamber them that they would not be in a position to run the event on Friday, February 1. With only six weeks remaining, it was then that they turned to the County Council for help. The local authority has no responsibility in this area, but do frequently help out community groups holding worthwhile events. The council refrained from commenting to the Celt this week on the issue, but their statement issued last Tuesday “disappointed” the former committee.

Mr Mooney detailed to the Celt the calls he made to the Council: firstly on (February 1), and again on Thursday and Friday, February 7 and 8, and said he told that someone would come back to them but received no response. The parade committee insist that their repeated approaches to the Council went unanswered until the February 15 when they were told that no decision had been made on funding; and for the first time were informed more details on expenditure and income were required. Mr Mooney said that the committee however felt “it had gone on too long”; with just four weeks remaining, and that the lack of decision at that stage had effectively sounded the death knell on the event. Typically between €8-9,000 is required to cover the costs of bands, sound system, security, insurance, and setting up the reviewing stand.
Mr Mooney predicted the absence of a parade “will be a big loss for Cavan town”.
Cathaoirleach Madeleine Argue said that money appears to be the “stumbling block” as the council was prepared to give some funding.
“When the Town Council were there they always gave them back up but the county council were not in the same position because if they gave to Cavan parade they have to give to all the other parades in the couty – that just wouldn’t work.”
Ms Argue paid tribute to the committee who had put much work in over the years.
“I don’t think it’s gone forever – it’s just a blip at the minute.”
If it does return, who will be running it is another matter.