Mobile St Patrick Replaces Parade In Killaloe

THERE will be no official St Patrick’s Day Parade in the twin communities of Killaloe and Ballina for the second year in a row due to Covid-19 restrictions.

However, Killaloe community volunteer, Eddie O’Gorman has decided to organise a mobile St Patrick for the benefit of local children who can’t look forward to the traditional St Patrick’s Day parade.

St Patrick will be standing on the back of a trailer towed by a car festooned by an arch of balloons by Emma Hickey from Boru Balloons.

Féile Brian Boru has loaned a St Patrick’s Day costume to Eddie for use on the day as well as plenty of flags and bunting.

Eddie has appealed to adults and children not to congregate in groups once he comes into their housing estate and to observe all social distancing Covid-19 guidelines.

The mobile St Patrick will head off from St Lua’s Villas, Killaloe at 2 pm tomorrow up to Crossroads, down Convent Hill out towards Shauntraud Woods, back to the Clarisford Estate and he will then cross the bridge to Ballina.

All the main housing estates in Ballina will be covered as part of the tour including Ard Coillte, Boru Court, Cnoc Arc, Cnoc Cluain and Iniscealtra.

Eddie expects the whole tour should take a maximum of an hour to complete.

“There is huge disappointment with the lack of a St Patrick’s Day Parade for the second year in succession. We were all shell shocked by the impact of Covid-19 last March. This year it is more of the same. I understand that these events have to be cancelled due to the virus.

“I think it is important to show a small bit of our traditions. Children will get a chance to see St Patrick as we drive through the estates,” he said.

 

Dan Danaher