Kilkenny city St. Patrick’s Day Parade is bidding to rival the Dublin Parade this year.
That’s the call from the city’s municipal district meeting as plans are afoot to celebrate the country’s patron saint.
A festival around it will include a carousel and a big wheel while the bandstand, which was popular at Christmas, will move to Canal Square in a bid to spread the fun.
Added to that four marching bands, with up to 250 members, will showcase their talents in the days before and after the main event while visiting groups from twinning areas of Kilkenny in Minnesota and Formigeni in Italy are due on 17th March.
Earlier this morning on The Saturday Show with Edward Hayden, Kilkenny Paralympian Mary Fitzgerald, was unveiled as the Grand Marshall. Mary will lead the St. Patrick’s Day Parade through Kilkenny City on Thursday 17th of March at 1.30pm. The Parade is the central event in a 6-day jammed-packed festival of events for St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny as it returns to the streets after a 2-year break.
Cllr Joe Malone Festival Committee Chairman said “We are delighted to have Mary lead the Parade this year. Last year was a mammoth year for Irish sport with Paralympians and Olympians seeing success in Tokyo. Mary is a proud Kilkenny woman who has already achieved so much in the field of Para Athletics. We’re excited to cheer her on during this year’s Parade and to continue supporting her in her sporting career”.
