A dozen St Patrick's Day parades around the county

The Cavan Town St Patrick's Day parade is “coming back with a bang” this year with a festival running through the entire weekend.

With no parade in the county town last year, anticipation for the event is huge and Cavan Chamber of Commerce Committee will not disappoint, according to committee member Cian Donohoe. He outlined what's in store this year.

The culture-packed weekend will kick off on Friday, March 14, with a Battle of the Bands in Blessings Bar where everybody is welcome.

The following day will be all about bringing the St Patrick's Day spirit to families; especially children, with face painting beginning at 10:30am a puppet show, magic show and entertainment throughout the morning and afternoon. The free event will be held on Market Square in Cavan Town and is open to everyone, with small amusement rides and a food vendor also.

From 2pm onwards, there will be a traditional Irish live open mic evening where anybody can take to the stage and perform alongside Irish dancers. Meanwhile Martin Donohoe is running 'Not Your Average Hooley', which will kick off in the Town Hall at 8pm with musicians from all over set to showcase their talents.

There will be amusement rides meanwhile behind the Courthouse all day on Saturday and Sunday.

That's just the start of the jigs and the reels, with the St Patrick's Day Parade due to take place on Sunday, March 16, beginning at 1:30pm from Cavan Institute. However organisers are urging people to stay to watch the parade. The parade will arrive via Cathedral Road, and do a “full loop” of the town, before going back out to Cavan Institute.

“The idea is to help small local businesses to get people staying around the town so all the coffee shops will be staying open around the town and you'll have the pubs the restaurants, it will be a normal trading day for everyone.

“It was to give the smaller parades in the towns their own day on the 17th,” Cian said, acknowledging that “a couple of others” will also be hosting their parades on March 16.

Road Closures

Anyone wishing to take part in the parade as a volunteer or with a float can search stpatricksdayparadecavan.ie, with various prizes for floats.

The committee is currently liaising with An Garda Síochana but warned there will be road closures.

After the highs of the parade, families can continue the craic agus ceol with an open session in the Farnham Arms Hotel at 4:30pm.

Last but certainly not least is March 17, St Patrick's Day, when an array of traditional music will feature in the Farnham Arms Hotel with musicians from India, Ukraine and Ireland all set to perform in a sharing culture session.

“It's going to be all music form all traditions and everyone is welcome to that.”

The Cavan businessman described it as “important” to make St Patrick's Day a weekend event this year.

“People should come into the town, there's a lot happening, we've never had an event of this size for St Patrick's Day before.

“We're hoping it's going to be a great success and if it is we're only going to build on it every year,” he said.

“There was none last year and there is a lot of work gone into it this year,” he said, adding that there has been “a lot” of local sponsorship to make this year's events happen.

With quiz nights and local collections, he said people have given “very generously” to make the festival happen.

Cootehill parade

Meanwhile, in Cootehill, the parade promises to be “bigger and better” than ever with the historic town celebrating its tercentenary.

Their parade will also take place on March 16 celebrating 300 of the town's existence.

“The theme of the parade is 300 years of Cootehill so were going to get anything that's vintage and people and kids dressing up as old-style farmers and milk maids and that kind of thing,” said Julie Magee Karlshoj, who is the project manager at the Cootehill Chamber of Commerce.

Aside from all the floats from local businesses and community groups, they will also have samba dancers, drummers, stilt walkers, a unicyclist and three marching bands.

“We're really encouraging everyone to get involved,” she encouraged.

“It's going to be really good,” anticipates Julie.

She said the committee are “really encouraged” each year by the numbers that show up to the parade.

“Cootehill is great because it's not just lorries for instance, you get some really funny floats and some really beautiful floats, people really put in a effort so it's always an experience.

“The fact that this year is the Tercentenary, it's definitely a year not to miss it.”

Craic in Killeshandra

In Killeshandra, the committee members have taken the traditional approach to this year's parade and have decided to host the event on March 17.

“It's traditionally on St Patrick's Day and we're sticking to that,” said Colm McCormack, who is one of the organisers of the parade.

The committee met this week and are hoping to build on last year's successful parade, which was attended by national broadcaster RTÉ.

“We hope to have a big number of floats again this year,” said Colm, adding that those planning to attend can expect a “great parade”.

The weekend will also see the annual Trad Fest in the town with “great trad music” throughout the entire weekend.

In each pub visitors can expect the best in traditional Irish music and live music with performances from talents such as Darren Culliney, Aaron Glancy, Diarmaid Martin, Ellen O'Brien, Daire Smith and more as well as other local CCÉ groups.

There will be an opportunity to learn a new tune on the flute, fiddle, concertina, button accordion, bohdrán, solo singing and the banjo with workshops on March 15 in Killeshandra Community Hall suited for those at intermediate level.

There will also be free Sean Nós dancing workshops and come and try workshops among other exciting events.