Bands, colour, dancers and amazing floats set to make Tullamore's 40th St Patrick's Day parade the best yet

The Tullamore St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and it is expected to be the biggest parade so far as community groups, sporting organisations, schools, music groups, dancing schools and five major Bands take to the streets to entertain a huge viewing public estimated to be in the region of 10,000.

The Tullamore parade is on Friday, March 17 starting at 11.30 a.m. The assembly point is the car park of the Bridge Centre and entries should be there by 11.00 a.m.

The route is High St., Bridge St., Colmcille St., over the Kilbeggan Bridge and onto Arden road. The finish point is the GAA Centre and no entry is to stop before this point for health and safety reasons. Larger floats line up in Cormac St. Please co-operate with the Gardai and our Stewards.

Bands The organiserss are delighted this year to have five major bands, including the Army Band from Athlone; other bands are Mullingar Town Band, Athlone Pipe Band, Clara Town Band and Athy Pipe Band.

Playtown Specials. Playtown Tullamore will be on hand this year with lots of fun for all the ages ! There will be free Face Painting outside the front entrance to the Bridge Centre and Bank of Ireland before, during and after the Parade from 11.00 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. Cocomelon, Marshall from Paw Patrol and LOLO Diva will be out and about before and during the Parade to meet and greet ! Be sure to be there early to pick your spot along the Parade route and enjoy meeting these great characters and get your complimentary Balloons, Sweets and Stickers.

Grand Marshalls The Committee have honoured two long serving founding members to be Joint Grand Marshalls for the Parade. Chairman Johnny O’ Connor, and Secretary/PRO Sean O’ Brien, are the two remaining founder members of the Parade from 1983.

Anniversaries

“This year will be very special for us as we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the founding of the Parade. We will celebrate with the Tullamore Camogie Club who celebrate their 50th Anniversary, Tullamore Credit Union who celebrate their 60th Anniversary and the Army Band from Athlone who celebrate their 100th Anniversary. Tullamore GAA celebrate 135 years and the Irish National Foresters celebrate 124 years.

Theme for the Parade

The Theme this year is “TIDY TOWNS-OUR COMMUNITY EFFORT. IS FEIDIR LINN LE CHEILE” The Tidy Towns Committee do fantastic work in making Tullamore look its very best. Tullamore is close to winning a National Award and with some help from the whole community this can be achieved. We are asking all entrants to reflect the Theme in their entry.

Review Stand Entertainment

There will be great entertainment at the Review Stand from 10.45 a.m. so come early to get a good viewing spot. Tullamore Comhaltas will be performing and set dancers will be showing how it is done. Tullamore’s great singer, Dave Lawlor, will sing Amhrann Na Bhiann. Tullamore Tribune Editor, Ger Scully, will introduce the Joint Grand Marshalls Johnny O’ Connor and Sean O’ Brien.

Enter the Parade

There is still time to enter the Parade, simply send an email to seanobrientullamore@gmail.com or call Sean at 086 3892854. If a group wants the MC to comment on their entry send details to the above email address. Parade website is www.stpatricksdaytullamore@gmail.com

PRIZES

Fantastic Prizes covering ten categories are up for grabs by the various groups taking part in the Parade and as usual there will be keen competition. These prizes will be presented at a Presentation Night in Fergies Bar on Friday 31 March.

Dog Owners

Dog owners are very welcome to walk in the Parade with their pets and there will be a special Best Dressed Dog awards.

Best Window Display

Business owners are reminded that there will be a Best Window Display trophy so get working on your window display as the judging takes place during St. Patrick’s Week.

Thank You 

We wish to thank our many sponsors for their support, especially Tullamore Municipal District Council, our main sponsor. Thanks also to the Bridge Centre, Gardai, Order Of Malta, Des Henry, Stephen Ravenhill, Mike Daly Landscaping, St. Mary’s Youth Centre, Order of Malta, Bridge Centre, Durrow Hall. A big Thank You to the many groups who enter the Parade and the thousands who line the streets to view the Parade.

Special Seating Area

There will be a reserved seating area for older persons and wheelchair users opposite the Review Stand on Colmcille St.

Contacts for Parade

The contacts for the Parade are Sean O’ Brien 086 3892854; Johnny O’ Connor 087 2602489; Martin O’ Connor 083 1017012; Frankie O’ Reilly 087 2287550