St Patrick's Day parade to return to Cork city with plans afoot for major celebration

AFTER a two-year absence, Cork city’s St Patrick’s Day parade is set to make a return next month in what the Lord Mayor hopes will be “a very exciting day for children” and “a bumper weekend for hospitality and tourism in the city”.

The annual celebration of Ireland’s patron saint had moved online over the last two years as the country battled the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, following an announcement of the removal of most Covid restrictions last month, Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin confirmed physical parades would be able to take place in 2022.

“I can confirm there will be a parade on St Patrick’s Day after two years of an absence.

“We will have a physical parade and actually the Department is funding over two million euros in the events for that day and there will be strong online content as well,” she said.

Cork City Council has confirmed its intention to host a physical parade, with plans afoot for a mega celebration.

“Cork city St Patrick’s Day parade will take place at 1pm on March 17 - subject to public health guidance as time progresses,” the council told The Echo.

150 groups contacted 

Cork City Council said the parade will take place on the usual route and that it has reached out to over 150 groups to participate, with “very positive responses” being received so far.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Colm Kelleher, welcomed the planned return of a physical parade.

“It’s absolutely brilliant and, hopefully, it’s going to be one of the bigger ones.

“It’s something that I mentioned to the Executive when I took office in June that a parade was something we should be aiming for, public health guidelines permitting of course,” he said.

“I as Lord Mayor will be officiating [the parade] on the day. It’s one of the highlights of the Lord Mayor’s calendar.

“Ironically, as Lord Mayor of Cork you’re about the only chairman of the Local Authorities that stays in the country on Patrick’s Day - but I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else! I'll also be aiming to get out to the Ballincollig parade as well."

'A shot in the arm' for hospitality 

Mr Kelleher said he hopes the four-day weekend next month will also be a shot in the arm for the hospitality sector in Cork after an exceptionally challenging two-year period.

“Pre-Covid, the city was growing at an exponential rate from a hospitality and tourism point of view.

“It took a kick in the teeth during Covid and businesses have been detrimentally affected.

“Now we have the additional bank holiday that is going to fall on that weekend. It’s going to be obviously a very exciting day for the children but, hopefully, it will be a bumper weekend for hospitality and tourism in the city and we can show the region of Munster and the whole country what we have to offer as a city and I, for one, am very much looking forward to it.”

Speaking to The Echo, publican Philip Gillivan of The Shelbourne Bar on MacCurtain Street, said there has been a “great buzz” in the city since the easing of Covid restrictions and that he is optimistic the St Patrick’s Day celebrations will bring a further uptick in trade.

“I think it’s going to be fantastic. The double bank holiday is going to make a huge difference.

“I think a lot of people are going to make a three-day event of it over the Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

“Especially if we get the weather, I think it will be superb,” he said.

“I think it will be the start of the foreign tourists coming back in again too,” he added.

Uptick in bookings 

General Manager of The Kingsley on the Carrigrohane Road, Fergal Harte, said the hotel is also gearing up for a busy bank holiday weekend next month.

“We’re really looking forward to events like St Patrick’s Day.

“We’re very hopeful too with the addition of the extra bank holiday that that will really help as well,” he said.

“We’ve really seen an uptick in our bookings over the coming weeks and months.

“That’s leading to a real sense of optimism for the future.”