Leeside buzzing as St Patrick's Festival fever captivates Cork
Members of the iconic Cork band The Frank and Walters, Grand Marshal for the St Patrick's Day parade, with the Lord Mayor of Cork Kieran McCarthy in Fitzgerald's Park at the launch of the Cork St Patrick’s Festival. Picture: Clare Keogh.
The Cork St Patrick’s Festival runs until Monday, with the annual parade taking place tomorrow, and lots of other events happening before and after in bars and other venues.
Cork City chairperson of the Vintners Federation Michael O’Donovan told : “We’re anticipating a busy weekend.
“Vinters Federation have area exemptions in place, which means pubs can stay open until 2.30am on Friday and Saturday.
“Saturday is also the final day of the Six Nations, and Cork hurlers are playing.
Garda Chief Superintendent Thomas Myers said that a full policing plan is now in place to safely facilitate the parade and events taking place around the city.
“Please refrain from any on-street, public consumption of alcohol,” he said, “most especially during the day.
“It won’t be tolerated.”
Mr O’Donovan said that security will be in place in bars, but “mostly people who go into bars have their outdoor smoking area but they don’t go out on the streets with drinks. The main worry is people walking around with bottles and cans from off-traders.”
Ernest Cantillon, who owns and operates Sober Lane and the Electric Bar echoed his sentiments, adding he is “stocked up and staffed up for a busy weekend.”
“I think it’s lined up perfectly, with Cheltenham giving a lovely run in, and the rugby on during the weekend is massive as well particularly for Sober Lane, we’d be big into sports.
“The weather looks like it’s going to be okay, although I remember it snowing on Patrick’s Day and it still being busy!” Mr Cantillon said.
Mr Cantillon continued: “So I think it’s going to be a bumper weekend, I think we’re fully recovered post-covid and it’s a big day out again for everyone, for families too - it’s a great parade and people who go to the parade might go for a hot chocolate, or their parents are going to go for a drink or for for a meal afterwards.”
The St Patrick’s Day Parade will start at 1pm on Sunday and will include more than 3,100 participants and 58 groups. It will begin at the junction of South Mall and Parnell Place before making its way along South Mall and Grand Parade and along St Patrick’s Street before finishing on Merchants Quay.
The director of product development at Fáilte Ireland, Orla Carrol said they were pleased to once again be supporting this year’s Cork St Patrick’s Festival.
Gardaí shared that there will be closures and restrictions on Patrick Street (northbound) from 5am on Sunday morning and restrictions on Lapps Quay, Connell St, Union Quay, and Stable Lane from 7am to 4pm and from Parnell Bridge (southbound) and Anglesea St (west lane - filter from Union Quay/Parnell Bridge) between 10.30am to 4pm.
Events happening over the festive weekend include traditional storytelling at the Franciscan Well on Sunday, Circus High Jinks at Elizabeth Fort, the Afternoon Céilí Mór at City Hall on Saturday and The Lee Sessions Trad Trail across multiple Cork City Centre Pubs from Friday to Sunday.
There will also be parades happening across the county in Bandon, Kinsale, Carrigaline, Crosshaven, Clonakilty, Dunmanway, Castletownbere, Bantry, Kealkill, Ballydehob, Schull, Skibereen, Youghal, Carrigtwohill, Cobh, Glounthaune, Ballinagree, Ballingeary, Mallow, Macroom, Milstreet, Fermoy, Mitchelstown and Carriganimna.
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