St Patrick’s Day hailed as best yet

Organisers have hailed this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Gort as the best held in the town in years.
“The parade’s theme Our Local Heritage captured the imagination of the participants, both on foot and on floats. There were more floats than usual and the event attracted a very large attendance. Many community organisations and businesses availed of the parade to promote their events and services,” explained Padraic Giblin, from the parade’s organising committee.

Organisers have hailed this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Gort as the best held in the town in years.
“The parade’s theme Our Local Heritage captured the imagination of the participants, both on foot and on floats. There were more floats than usual and the event attracted a very large attendance. Many community organisations and businesses availed of the parade to promote their events and services,” explained Padraic Giblin, from the parade’s organising committee.
During the live streaming of the event, local people sent messages from Gort to their immediate relatives in Australia and other countries throughout the world. A comprehensive commentary was provided by Yvonne Mulvey and Mickey Carey as the parade passed the review stand.
“Andy Coen carried out his duties of grand marshall to perfection. He was accompanied by fellow members of the Gort senior hurling team, together with the county cup,” Padraic recalled.
“The Gallery Café won the best overall float with their entry entitled Let Them Eat Cake, a saying attributed to Marie Antoinette around the time of the French Revolution. A parallel was drawn with the revolution to make Gort beautiful,” he continued,
The award for best effort went to Reach for the Stars, who promoted their forthcoming event. In second place was Tobar Pheadair Boxing Club celebrating its first All-Ireland Championship winner, Darragh Darcy. James Ruane, Corofin, had the most humorous entry, a float entitled Celtic Tiger, drawn by bicycle. Innovation Barbers were second in this category.
Busy Bees Pre-School had the best children’s entry, The Wild Swans at Coole, with second place going to the Gort Mini Rugby players. Best commercial entry was awarded to Gort Livestock Mart celebrating 50 years in existence with a three-part entry. In second place was Irish Natural Stone Products/Gort Monuments.
Gort No Name Club had the best community entry promoting their Sunday Funday. In second place was St Colman’s Camogie Club celebrating its Féile na Gael success.
The award for the best school entry went to Gaelscoil Na Bhfilí , whose central theme was The Autograph Tree, the trunk of which had been autographed by all the children in the school. 
“As their theme this year, they chose the name of their school which literally means ‘School of Poets’. The children were dressed either as WB Yeats or Lady Gregory, in other words, old poets, or in their school uniforms, as modern-day poets. The leaves that hung from the tree were also made by the children and included poetry, photos and art,” explained Sharon Connelly of Gaelscoil Na Bhfilí Parents’ Association. 
In second place was Kilbeacanty National School charting its history down through the years from slate and chalk in the late 19th century to the present day state-of-the-art whiteboards and laptops.
A large number of vintage vehicles took part. Tom Brett, Clarinbridge, had the best vintage car. Francis Kerins, Roo, had the best vintage tractor. The award for most topical float went to C&F Energy, who contrasted an old working noisy and smoky diesel generator with the modern clean and silent wind turbine. Hennelly’s Bar came second in this category.
The parade was reviewed by Captain Shane Dooley, Reserve Defence Force; Bridie Willers MCC; Gerry Finnerty MCC; Michael Fahy, MCC; Paddy Grealish, chairman, Gort Chamber of Commerce and Adrian Feeney, chairman of the parade committee, who acknowledged the participants, the gardaí, sponsors, stewards and all who helped in any way.
The members of the parade committee are Siobhan Bell (treasurer), Noel Corless, Adrian Feeney, Padraic Giblin (PRO), Sseamus Killeen (president), John Lally, Mary Moloney and Brid Quinn.