Mullingar parade route cut due to lack of funds

The Mullingar St Patrick’s Day parade has been shortened this year due to a lack of funding.

Chairperson Ruth Illingworth cited the rental cost of safety barriers as the "biggest expense".

As a result, the route has also changed, going from east to west. The parade will now start on Austin Friars Street , continue through Pearse Street, Oliver Plunkett Street, turning right at Mary Street, and finish at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

While acknowledging it was disappointing, Ms Illingworth said it was preferable to no parade – a notion which had been toyed with.

For more see pg2 of this week's Westmeath Examiner.