ST PATRICK'S DAY: Start times and schedules for parades throughout Tipperary

With St Patrick's Day finally here, parade organisers throughout Tipperary are gearing up to kick off a day full of festivities. Whether your travelling to a parade in the north or south of the county, below are a details of the schedules for the biggest parades happening today:

THURLES

The Thurles Saint Patrick's Day Parade will kick off at the JYSK carpark on Abbey Road Thurles at 2:15pm to arrive in Liberty Square Thurles at 2:30pm.

This year the special guests are Alan & Frank Roche of Frank Roche & Sons Hardware Thurles in recognition to their long standing contribution to the commercial life of Thurles and surrounding areas.

The organisers are delighted to announce that they have many great entries covering music, dancing and gymnastics, sports clubs, martial art displays, vintage and comical characters, plus a miniature train and well-known kiddie cartoon characters.

Adding to that the Cloughjordan Circus Club will provide a variety of performances with jugglers, stilt-walkers and puppetry for the entertainment of the viewing public.

Jim of The Mills traditional musicians will be in full swing from 1pm to 2pm on the reviewing stand prior to the start of the parade, always a great and enjoyable attraction.

There will be a miniature carousel on the pavement for the little ones and market stalls from the Village Market Holycross for adults and young alike with plenty of handcrafted products and gift ideas.

There also will be a sensory area for children that like a quiet place near Hayes Hotel to take time out in.

CLONMEL

The St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Clonmel will begin with the traditional flag-raising ceremony at St Patrick’s Well at 8.15am.

This will be followed by the morning parade, departing Mitchel Street at 11.15am and proceeding to St Mary’s Church, Irishtown for 12 noon Mass in Irish.

The main St Patrick’s Day parade will commence at 3pm from the West Gate and proceed to the Town Hall in Parnell Street. It will be led by Banna Chluain Meala and will include the Grand Marshal Daire Lynch, the Mayor of Clonmel Pat English, local councillors and dignitaries.

Olympic rower Daire Lynch is a popular choice as Grand Marshal. A member of Clonmel Rowing Club, he has had an illustrious rowing career to date, competing in national, European and World Championships, securing several honours along the way.

READ NEXT: Bumper crowd enjoys Carrick-on-Suir's St Patrick's Day celebrations on glorious spring day

NENAGH

The Nenagh parade will follow a new route this year, starting at 1pm it will begin in Nenagh Railway Station and make it's way up through the town finishing at Banba square.

The Nenagh celebrations will feature a large outdoor concert and festival market situated in the Nenagh Courthouse carpark. The courthouse market will open at 11:30am while the 2025 festivities will begin with a walking parade starting at 1pm. The main stage music and live performances will begin at 2pm.

This year’s special guests will include Europe’s No 1 Taylor Swift tribute ‘Taylor NI’ performing live. Jacko the Clown and the team from Giggles Entertainment will be singing and dancing live onstage along with JP’s Video Disco, Lucky the Leprechaun, Bluey, Fireman Sam and Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Tipperary Fire and Rescue, Cleo Griffin, The FitzGerald Brothers, Martin Grace, Nenagh Brass Band and many more musical guests, dancers and performers. 

TIPPERARY TOWN

Festivities in Tipperary Town will kick off from 12.30pm, in association with Tipperary Tidy Towns.

This year's parade theme is Bee the Change, aiming to highlight biodiversity and what we can do to minimise the effects of climate change.

The traditional parade will start at 2.30pm, but there will be music on the reviewing stand between the two banks on the Main Street from 12.30pm, with parade MC Dee Morrissey and special guests Stephen Stokes, Ellie Peters, Shauna Frewen, Lorcan Kennedy and Aaron O'Donoghue.

The parade will return to the traditional route this year following a slight change last year to facilitate the Marching Mizzou college band from Missouri.

Starting at The Plan, the parade will head down O'Brien Street, and then up the Main Street of the town, before finishing at Bank Place.

ROSCREA

Roscrea's St Patrick’s Day Parade will commence at the slightly later time of 3:30pm and will see the parade begin at the old Tesco car park. 

The organising committee are also this year holding its annual Shop Window competition with first, second and third prizes, the winners of which will be announced from the Review Stand.

CAHIR

The Cahir parade will once again start on the Tipperary Road at the business park at 12 noon.

The Theme for the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Cahir has been chosen and this year it is “a Celebration of our Heritage, Culture & Diversity”.

There will be music on the stage before the Parade from 11.30am to entertain everyone and we will have our compare Gerry Duffy to announce the line up of parade entries.

There will be musical entertainment from Cahir Comhaltas after the parade at Cahir Tourist Office Plaza and of course there will be prizes in several categories up for grabs for those who make that extra effort on the day.

LITTLETON

The Moycarkey-Borris Saint Patrick’s Day parade will take place in Littleton at 10.30am.

Local Community activist Maragret Shanahan is to lead the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.

All floats and participants were welcome to enter in advance or register on the day and there was no fee for participants. This year’s winning entry will receive €300, and we have several other monetary prizes and trophies to be won.

TEMPLEMORE

Templemore festivities will see a music festival in the Square begin at 12pm with the Thomas McDonagh Pipe Band and 8 other acts to entertain attendees.

CAPPAWHITE

The Cappawhite parade will begin at 11.30am, organisers are using the event to raise money for the Neuro Surgery unit In Beaumont following the excellent care a local woman received at the hospital.

A number of town parades are already over with fantastic parades held in Cashel, Newport, Carrick on Suir and Ballylooby over the weekend.