WEST Cork will be a hive of activity this bank holiday weekend, with plenty of St Patrick’s Day events taking places on Monday, March 17th.
Parades will be on throughout the day, on both land and sea – here is what you need to know for each area.
Ballydehob
The parade will start at 1pm sharp, with participants to gather at the western approach at 12.30pm. There will be cash prizes on the day for groups and individuals who make the most effort on their floats and costumes. A trad music session will take place in Levis’ Corner House after the parade.
Baltimore
Floats are to meet at 11.30am in the car park across from the garda station for a 12pm start. There will be prizes on the day for best eco-green float, best maritime float, best overall float and best newcomer float – music and prize giving will take place in the square after the parade.
St Patrick aka Michael Brennan, chasing the snakes away at the St Patrick’s Day parade in Bandon. (Photo: Denis Boyle)
Bandon
Assembly for the Bandon parade is at 2pm, with a 2.30pm start time on Monday. A live stream will be available for those spread far and wide across the globe via St Patrick’s Day in Bandon’s Facebook page. A children’s colouring competition is also running again this year. Colouring sheets are available in PriceSavers, O'Farrell's, Jakes Cakes and in the library.
Bantry
The Bantry Goes Green festival is a four-day bonanza of activity, kicking off on Thursday 13th with a pub quiz in the Quays Bar, with all proceeds going towards funding the festival and parade on St Patrick’s Day. The ‘Bantry Goes Green Music Trail’ takes place each evening across the bank holiday weekend, from Friday to Monday, with live music in venues all over the town, including the Maritime Hotel, Westlodge Hotel, Anchor Bar, Ma Murphy’s and more. Families and children can have fun with a treasure hunt on Saturday and free face painting on Monday before the parade, which kicks off at 12.45pm with a theme of ‘reeling in the years’. More information is available on Visit Bantry’s Facebook page.
Ava Enright and Hannah O'Sullivan from Glengarriff enjoying the festivities at the Bantry St Patrick’s Day parade. (Photo: Andy Gibson)
Castletownbere/Bere Island
The parade will start at 3pm sharp from the east end of the pier, and will be led by piper Etienne Baranger. Music will be provided by Garnish Sound and Bere Island Community Radio will also be broadcasting live from 11am-1pm. A fundraising draw to help finance the parade will take place afterwards.
Clonakilty
This year’s parade theme is ‘Béaloideas’ – the Irish word for folklore – and will celebrate all things related to Irish storytelling and mythology. Floats will assemble at Faxbridge from 1pm with the parade to start at 2pm sharp.
Courtmacsherry
The popular sea parade will start a 4.30pm on Monday, with the land parade to follow from the Courtmacsherry Hotel entrance.
Dunmanway
Kicking off at 1pm from St Patrick’s Church, the Dunmanway parade will have prizes for the biggest shamrock, best pet, best float, best vintage car/tractor and lots more. Music will come from local DJ duo FROST and others.
Kinsale
Like Courtmacsherry, there will be two parades in Kinsale this year. First up is a maritime parade on Sunday, March 16th, where a float of boats will sail down the harbour at 7.30pm before a fireworks display at 8pm. Then, on St Patrick’s Day, the main parade – with a theme of ‘Kindness and Inclusivity’ will start at 3pm from the New Road car park.
Emily Carroll and Amelia Murphy from Kinsale at last year's parade. (Photo: John Allen)
Macroom
The parade will start at 3.30pm, and will feature the Cullen Pipe Band, Ballingeary Pipe Band and Philadelphia’s Woodland String Band, who are no strangers to Macroom. This will be the 25th year they make the trip across the Atlantic – they will play a special performance in the Briery Gap theatre on Saturday, March 15th at 8pm.
Schull
A colourful parade is the order of the day in Schull this year, with this year’s theme of ‘dathanna’. The parade starts at 2.30pm from outside the garda station.
Skibbereen
A ‘festival of magic and culture’ is how this year’s parade has been described. Floats are assembling at the playground on Cork road at 2.30pm for a 3pm start, with trophies and cash prizes for the best float, group and individual. There will be plenty of street entertainment and traditional music on the day too.
Enjoying the parade in Bantry were Mele and Deanna McGowan, Ballylickey and Lua Fuchs, Ballydehob. (Photo: Andy Gibson)
