St Patrick's Day parade to return to Dundalk this year

The St Patrick's Day parade is set to return to Dundalk this year after an absence of a number of years.

The return of the parade was confirmed by the voluntary committee, after it received confirmation from Louth County Council of it sponsorship of the event. Along with the council, Dundalk Credit Union and PayPal are also sponsors of the parade in Dundalk.

St Patrick's Day in Dundalk is set to be marked this year by the parade and also an event in the town following the parade.

The March 17 parade, which will start at 1pm, has the theme of ‘Urban Green’ and will feature many local community and business organisations showcasing the very best that Dundalk has to offer.

There will also be live music, and a family fun zone, after the parade, so that families can spend more time in the town after the main event.

The committee, which is chaired by Cllr. Conor Keelan, had been seeking sponsorship in order to stage the event, with Louth County Council stepping in with funding last week, making the parade possible.

Cllr. Keelan, who is on the Dundalk St Patrick’s Day Committee with Cllr. Maeve Yore, Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú, Shane McBride, Dagan Fleming, Anne Campbell and Maria O’Toole, said he was delighted with the council’s response for funding.

He said: “Without the assistance of Louth County Council, the parade would not be possible this year. We are delighted they have come on board and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back to the town for a great, traditional parade after three years of having no event’.

Cllr. Keelan said it is vital that people who are involved in community and sporting groups, as well as businesses, “come together to join in the parade”.

He said: “I hope everyone gets behind us to put Dundalk back on the St Patrick’s Day map again. It has been difficult getting back after Covid 19 and I would like to see as many groups as possible take part in the parade, under the theme of ‘Urban Green’.

“The environment has been to the forefront of minds, and this is an opportunity to celebrate and put sustainability and environmental awareness at the forefront of people’s minds.

“There is a lot of work to do, but we hope with the support of the town, that we will be able to stage a wonderful parade this year.”

Anyone wishing to take part in the parade, or to help out in any way, should email: stpatsdundalk@gmail.com as soon as possible.