Tipperary goes green for Saint Patrick's Day celebrations

Nenagh as well as other towns and villages all over North Tipperary are in festive mode as streets all over the locality take on a green hue in the run-up to Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations.

There will be street parades and other entertainment in towns like Roscrea, Newport, Ballina and Nenagh in the coming days to mark the feast day of the nation’s patron saint.

Nenagh will host its first street parade since 2019 on this coming Saint Patrick’s Day on Monday.

On top of that there will be a feast of musical entertainment, fun for all the family and celebration of the best of local artisan produce in the grounds of Nenagh Courthouse.

The gates to the site will open at 12 noon and there will be live music from 1.15pm.

The site will host several artisan market stalls and a range of entertainment for children, which will include a funfair.

Music fans will be treated to acts such as the Taylor Swift Tribute Band, direct from the UK, and country singer Trudie Lawlor, a frequent visitor to Nenagh at this time of the year, makes another welcome return.

The entertainment at the courthouse will include a vintage tractor display and a ‘gigantic’ video disco.

Jacko the Clown & Friends will be there to provide plenty of laughs, while other local performers will include Gary Scully, Cleo Griffin, Jack Spain, Nenagh Brass Band, and ‘The Showband Man’, Martin Grace.

The great thing is that entry to the site is free. Included in all the fun and interest will be a display by Portroe Vintage Group and Tipperary Fire & Rescue Service.

Special guests will include Lucky the Leprechaun, Bluey, Fireman Sam as well as Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

The fun will spill from the courthouse to Banba Square where there will be a ‘Trad at the Square’ event and an outdoor dance floor.

Among those performing will be the Calahan Family, Aoife Sullivan, Lucy Brett, Clodagh Kennedy and The Fitzgerald Brothers.

Hosted by Nenagh Tourist Office, the live trad’ music in the square starts at 2pm.

STREET PARADE

The parade in town will set out from the railway station at 1pm and follow a new route up Kenyon Street. It will then turn right into Pearse Street and continue to Kickham Street for a finish at Banba Square.

If you can’t make the above events, then there will be an opportunity to tune in on the Saint Mary of the Rosary Church Radio on 106.2fm from 1pm for complete coverage of the day’s entertainment.

The street parade has been re-introduced to Nenagh by a committee involving local councillor Louise Morgan Walsh and Nenagh & District Chamber of Commerce.

Cllr Morgan Walsh praised Nenagh Municipal District for taking the lead in organising the event.

Local Fianna Fáil TD Ryan O’ Meara said a massive amount of work has gone into organising both the parade and the live entertainment over the last number of months. “I have to commend everyone who has made this happen, making this year’s celebrations our biggest and best in years,” he said.

OTHER PARADES

Newport hosts its annual parade this Saturday, March 15,while Ballina-Killaloe and Roscrea  will host parades on Saint Patrick’s Day.

The parade in Ballina-Killaloe starts at 2.30pm at Ballina GAA carpark. It will travel through Ballina, the bridge, Main Street, and finish on The Green. Some floats will continue to Lakes Nursing Home in Killaloe.

The organising committee would like if all businesses and homes along the route would decorate their windows to add some colour to the streets.

A special prize will be presented to the Best Dressed Window. All floats/entries should be registered by this Friday, March 14, and registration forms are available on the website or you may email info@feilebrianboru.com

The parade in Newport this Saturday, March 15, starts at 12 noon. The theme for this year is ‘Community Heroes’ with many of the local community groups and organisations taking part with colourful floats, depicting imaginative themes.

Street entertainers will also be present to add to the enjoyment of the hundreds expected to line the parade route from Limerick Road through Main Street. Assembly takes place from shortly after 11am at Centra Supermarket and on the approach to the town from Limerick Road.

It is expected to take up to an hour and half for the parade to pass the grandstand at Main Street.