Moville St Patrick’s Day parade reaches out to the area’s diverse population

The Moville St Patrick’s Day parade committee is calling on people from all the different nationalities living in the east Inishowen area to take part in this year’s parade.

The town is gearing up for its 32nd St Patrick’s Day parade and this year also marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the town’s parade committee.

The committee saw an influx of new members ahead of last year’s parade and is hoping to build on the success which saw it pick up the Best St Patrick’s Day Parade in Donegal award at the Highland Radio Hospitality Awards earlier this month.

To celebrate this being the committee’s 35th year, a €1,000 cash prize is being offered for the best float with €500 for second place.  The floats will be judged under the categories of Most Topical, Most Sustainable, Most Original, Most Traditional, Most Artistic and Most Humorous.

The committee is calling on local businesses, groups and organisations within the community to enter the parade.

Chair of the committee Eamon McLaughlin said the excitement is mounting and the committee has been hard at work getting organised. He also stressed that the parade is for the whole area. “This is not a Moville parade to me. This is a parade in Moville for the whole area,” he said.

“We are hoping for a huge turnout and want to see everyone on the street and contributing to a huge national celebration which connects us with people all over the world.”

Donegal Social Inclusion Week begins on St Patrick’s Day and Mr McLaughlin said the committee wants the parade to acknowledge that.

“We are asking all the different nationalities who live in the Inishowen area to come out and march in the parade behind their national flag. Last year a large number of Ukrainians did that. We are also asking people from the different counties around Ireland who live among us to march behind their county flag.”

The parade starts at the usual time of 2.30pm. The motorised floats are asked to turn up at Glencrow by 2.15pm.  

There will be bouncy castles in the square beside the big tree and there will also be street performers providing entertainment. Live music in the Square will be from 2pm to 5pm.

The Moville St Patrick’s Day parade won the Best St Patrick’s Day Parade in Donegal award at the Highland Radio Hospitality Awards 

There will be ticket sellers on the day selling tickets for the lucky shamrock draw. It is hoped that those attending will support this as it provides a vital part of the funding to ensure that the parade can continue in the future.



  

Anyone looking to enter a float in the parade can contact the committee by email at movillestpatrickscommittee@gmail.com.