Carrick-on-Suir's St Patrick's Day Parade will celebrate town's sporting heroes

Carrick-on-Suir's St Patrick’s Day Parade will be a celebration of the successes of the town’s sports teams and athletes over the past year.

The organisers are promoting the event as the Parade of Champions and are inviting any sports person, group or team who have done the town proud over the past year to march in the parade.

Scoil Mhuire Secondary School’s newly crowned All-Ireland winning senior camogie team, St Nicholas Boxing Club’s European bronze medallist Isabelle Hawkins and Carrick-on-Suir GAA players who were members of Tipperary and Waterford All-Ireland winning teams will be among the sports figures honoured in the parade.

Carrick-on-Suir St Patrick’s Day Parade Committee member Cllr David Dunne said any sports person or team who achieved accolades in their sport over the past year was welcome to take part.

He said the committee is hoping to feature some All-Ireland trophies in the parade that will comprise a mix of floats and walking groups representing a wide range of sports, social, music, dance and cultural clubs and community organisations from the town and district.

St Patrick will lead the parade and Carrick Brass Band will be taking part, entertaining the crowd along the route.
A large turnout of vintage cars is expected.

Cllr Dunne, who is Cathaoirleach of Carrick Municipal District, encouraged groups from communities throughout the district to join in the parade and said entries will be taken up to and including the morning of the pageant.

He appealed to the people of the town and district to turn out in large numbers to support the event.

The parade will depart from the Tírlán Co-Op in Carrickbeg at 1pm.

Any vehicles taking part in the pageant are asked to be at the start point at 12 noon while other entries are requested to assemble at the start point by 12.30pm.

The parade will travel across Dillon Bridge, down Main Street, through the West Gate, down Kickham Street and turn right onto the N24 finishing at the Library Car Park.

The best parade entry will be awarded the Cathleen Fahey Memorial Cup in memory of Carrick-on-Suir St Patrick’s Day Parade Committee member, Cathleen Fahey, who sadly passed away a number of years ago.

The parade committee is still looking for funding and more volunteers to assist it with hosting the event.

Cllr Dunne said a generous donation the committee received from a local donor has enabled the committee to pay the €576 insurance premium for the event.

The committee hosted a successful fundraising table quiz in Connors Live Pub on Carrick’s Main Street on Friday, March 6. 

Any person or organisation wishing to take part in the parade, donate towards the parade or volunteer to help organise the event should contact Cllr David Dunne at (086) 347 6317.

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