St.Patrick’s Day Parade Review

Cobh's St.Patrick Joe Devlin - Photograph by Cobh Edition

This years St.Patrick’s Day Parade took place in Cobh at the weekend with a huge turn out of floats, participating groups, vehicles and spectators. With over 60 groups, 100 vehicles and over 1,000 participants taking part this was the biggest parade Cobh has seen for many years.

The organising groups involved were three of the towns most dynamic and hardworking, See You in Cobh, Cobh Tidy Towns and Cobh Tourism and all deserve tremendous credit for putting on a great show, as do all participants. With preparation taking up so much of their own time this was a parade the town could be very proud of and this showed in the hard work and effort put in by every participating group.

Compered by Claire Cullinane and her cousin Kevin, the afternoon kicked off with the National Anthem sang by Darragh McGann, followed by a beautiful performance by local woman Katy McGroarty who sang an apropriate song entitled ‘Sleep now Titanic’, written by another local talent Marian Horgan.  At the stroke of the 3.30pm bells of the newly illuminated St.Colman’s Cathedral the parade began on its new route from the Low Road, alongside the Heritage Centre and past the Commodore Hotel and finishing in Colmans Square where hundreds of delighted families and supporters lined the streets, cheered and showed their appreciation.

St. Colman’s Pipe band and members of Carrigaline Pipe Band led the parade followed by members of O.N.E and then Cobh’s very own St.Patrick, Joe Devlin who joined the many dignitaries and invited guests on the main viewing stand positioned opposite the New Titanic Experience in the Old White Star line Building.  The theme for this years parade was the ‘Cove of Cork’ incorporating and remembering those who left Cobh, formerly Queenstown, on the Titanic 100 years ago.

Tiny Tots Educational Pre School

With this in mind many groups dressed in ‘period’ clothing including the Crosshaven theatre Group who were one of many groups from outside the town who travelled especially to take part. Tiny Tots Pre School made a large collaged picture of the Titanic and Cobh Youth Services made a huge 3D Cardboard Cut out of the great ship which won them first place in the best float competition. Other floats taking part included the Cobh Town Train, The Cobh (Great Island) Community Centre, S.W.E.L.S Active Retirement Group, Truly Scrumptious, Cobh Fire Service, Cobh Youth Services, Titanic 100, Tony O’Shea & Son Coals, Cobh Pirates, Cobh Classic Car Club, Ballymore Cycling Club,  Butterfly wyngs, Cobh Camogie Club, Springfield Ramblers Boys and Girls, Cobh GAA, Aoife Ryan Irish Dancing and Sinead Sheperd School of Dance as well as the Commodore Hotel, Avril O’Callaghan’s Cobh Children’s Theatre Group, Collins Plat Hire, Cove Sailing Club, DJ Pa O’Sullivan, Cobh Power Washing Service, Great Island Party Supplies, Cobh IRC, Animal Rescue Cobh, Centra, Cobh Basketball Club and many many more.

Springfield Ramblers

Guests on the viewing stand were the Mayor of Cobh, Cllr Jim Qinlan, Jim Roche, President of Cobh Branch O.N.E, Fr M Leamy, Cllrs Micheal Martin, Paddy Whitty, John Mulvihill Jnr., John Mulvihill Snr., Sean O’Connor with Ryan Howard, President of Cobh and Harbour Chamber John Sweeney, Dermot O’Mahoney, Supt. Pat Lehane and Rev Brian O’Reilly.

The winner of the best shop display went to the Keen House, with Cobh Fishing Tackle shop and Ryngs comning in second and third.

Cobh Pirates

Cobh GAA

Over 200 photographs of the day can be viewed on the Cobh Edition Facebook gallery at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.373660672655890.102226.175857379102888&type=3