GALLERY: 'Great buzz' in Mullingar for St Patrick's weekend
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Tenia Rhattigan and Elizabeth Klimantavicius on Sunday.Image 2 of 22
Billy, Eleanor and Holly Nolan from Dysart.Image 3 of 22
Francis, Joey, Deirdre and Katie Kelly from Tyrrellspass.Image 4 of 22
Tara and Cliona Halpin from Mullingar.Image 5 of 22
Nicole Griffin, Claire Dermody, Emily Skinder, Rory Duggan, Lucy Flynn and Anouka Gibney came out to see watch the parade.Image 6 of 22
Neil and Nora Calunsag from Mullingar.Image 7 of 22
Florina Russu, Bianca Russu and Brooke Dowd in Mullingar on Sunday.Image 8 of 22
Alex Ledwith watching the parade in Mullingar.Image 9 of 22
Orlaith Pettigrew and Nicki Loorim were on duty for the Order of Malta.Image 10 of 22
Jonathan, Jaquian, Jeofrenn, Jonathan Michael and Hannah Grace Daniels, Mullingar, at the parade.Image 11 of 22
Tomás, Meibhin and Muireann Maxwell Duggan on St Patrick’s Day.Image 12 of 22
Cody McKeon and Sarah Keane from Mullingar.Image 13 of 22
Alan and Ameara and Rosemary Scally at the parade in Mullingar.Image 14 of 22
Kasia and Anthony Karpicki on Sunday afternoon.Image 15 of 22
Fay McGuinness on Paddy’s Day.Image 16 of 22
Leanne Perju, Aoife Sheridan Walsh, Orla Perju and Daniel Perju at Sunday’s parade.Image 17 of 22
Ciara and Aoibhinn Egerton from Mullingar.Image 18 of 22
Joe Connaire was the grand marshal for the parade.Image 19 of 22
David, Abbie, Caoimhe and Casey McVeigh outside the Greville Arms Hotel.Image 20 of 22
Miriam Fenton, Sienna Fenton, Leighanna Reilly, Nicola Horan and Laurienay Reilly from Mullingar.Image 21 of 22
Emer Wallace, Aoife Holding, Isabel Carroll and Shannon Harvey at the parade on Sunday afternoon.Image 22 of 22
Daniel Kiernan, Eoghan Quinn and Chloe Kiernan at Sunday afternoon’s parade.A weekend of festivities to celebrate St Patrick’s Day brought “a great buzz” to Mullingar, according to this year’s grand marshal, Joe Connaire.
St Patrick (aka Bartle Darcy, local historian and tour guide) arrived into town on Saturday evening at dusk. He sailed down the Royal Canal from the Dublin Bridge to The Harbour on Annabel, a barge supplied by Cian Norton of IWAI, Dublin, escorted by the Mullingar Harbour Canoe Polo Club, and led by Joe Gavin on the bagpipes.
Earlier, the Mullingar Harbour Canoe Polo Club, one of the biggest in the country, had entertained the large crowds gathered at the Harbour with a game of canoe polo. Many local musicians also gathered at the harbour for what turned into a mini fleadh. They included Jamie Kelly, The Bypass band comprising Jacob Colton, Michael Swarbrigg (grandson of Eurovision star Jimmy Swarbrigg), and Eric McLoughlin.
As St Patrick and his entourage arrived in the harbour, they were greeted by Boher NS pupils, who sang Hail Glorious St Patrick and Ireland’s Call. “It was magic!” declared Ray Dolan, the main man behind the Harbour festivities.
There were uilleann pipers and Joe Connaire and the Ballynacargy CCÉ group played a few tunes. The Emerald Lake Academy of Dance from Rochfortbridge, led by Kevin Lester, who was involved in the original River Dance production, gave a performance. “They were on national television last week and we were delighted that they made time to join us in Mullingar,” Ray said.
There were also circus acts and other entertainments for the children at the harbour and a coffee vendor providing refreshments on a beautiful evening on the banks of the canal. Niall Cole from Phoenix Marketing provided a marquee. Niall’s amazing Wonka Float was one of the 60 or so floats in the parade on Sunday.
The theme of this year’s parade was ‘Marking our Musical Heritage’. The late, great Joe Dolan featured on many of the floats. “One lad had a fire and a chimney on a bike and was dressed up as uncle Joe, it was amazing,” Ray laughed. Niall Horan, Foster and Allen and many others were also depicted in the float displays.
During the parade, Ray went live on Facebook to give the Irish diaspora a taste of what was happening at home in Mullingar.
“The parade is growing year on year. The local community have taken to the parade and made a huge effort,” Ray said.
“Sponsorship was wonderful; Westmeath County Council was unbelievable, and John Ball and Mullingar Tidy Towns Committee were a joy to work with,” said Ray, who has been part of the organising committee since they started a campaign to revive the Mullingar parade two years ago. Joe Connaire, chairperson of the Fleadh Executive Committee for Mullingar, said it was an honour and a privilege to be asked to be grand marshal. He complimented the organising committee and volunteers on their hard work. “It is a big event and the numbers have grown and there is a lot of work involved,” he said.
“The parade and the festivities at the Harbour brought a great buzz to the town. They were really well organised and that takes huge co-ordination and effort.
“St Patrick’s Day is about celebrating Irish music and dance and is part of our culture. It is great to see businesses and the community getting behind it and it is growing year on year,” he concluded.