bernie@limerickpost.ie
THE St Patrick’s Day parade in Limerick has the biggest number of participants of any parade in the country. And this year, the organisers are hoping it will also have the largest number of St Patricks, to put the Treaty City parade in the world record books. A meeting of the Cultural and Sporting committee of the city council this week heard that with more than 3,500 people taking part in the annual spectacle, Limerick even beats Dublin for the number of participants.
And this year, the organising committee is going for a record, seeking 250 ‘St Patrick’s” to walk in the parade.
Elected councillors were told that artistic performance legends, Macnas, will be one of the major attractions at the Limerick parade this year.
Hand in glove with the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Limerick is the International Marching Band festival and this year six US and one German marching band have so far confirmed the will come to perform in Limerick.
Cllr Tom Shortt (Labour) asked whether it would be possible to get some of the colourful performers who will be taking part in the Dublin parade to come to Limerick for the band contest.
“They put so much work and preparation in and they might like to get a second day out”, he suggested.
Cllr Kathleen Leddin (Ind) asked whether it would be possible to contact other European cities which have links with Limerick.
“There’s a big band parade each year in Quimper for instance. We could invite some of the bands which perform there to come to Limerick,” she said.
