Carndonagh’s Easter parade cancelled due to the cost of insurance

This year’s Carndonagh Easter parade has been cancelled due to the cost of providing insurance to hold the event.

The annual parade, which has been running for more than 20 years, has been called off by the committee which runs it as the event “wouldn't be financially viable this year”.

Carndonagh does not hold a St Patrick’s Day parade, unlike Moville and Buncrana, so the Easter parade is a major event in the town’s calendar.

Many clubs, organisations, businesses and schools in the town and surrounding areas take part in the parade and enter floats.

The event, which is held on Easter Monday, also includes live music and entertainment in the Diamond as well as competitions.

Last year’s event was the first since 2019 after cancellations due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Raymond Doherty of the Carndonagh Easter parade committee said the cost of insurance for the event has reached more than €2,000.

“It used to be a couple of hundred euro,” he said. “We just do it as a fun day for the people. We don’t charge anything and we just have a few bucket collections. The bottom line is that we would never collect what we need for insurance.”

The parade attracts visitors from all over Inishowen, and beyond, and its cancellation will be a loss for traders in the town, he said.

Charity walk in memory of Carndonagh man Shane Toye

The walk, which will take place on Shane’s 20th anniversary, is raising funds for The Donegal branch of the Irish Kidney Association and The Friends of Inishowen Hospice

The cancellation of the parade highlighted the need for “some type of community insurance” for small, community events, as many have stopped due to the increased costs, he said.

The committee is hoping to run the event next year and will be meeting in the coming weeks to decide its next steps.

“We are going to see where we are going. We will have to look at fundraisers well in advance for next year because a lot of people are disappointed that it is not going ahead.”