Rugby star and fashion celebrity a winning team

FOR once, Munster rugby star Jim Williams led the way out onto a crowded Limerick arena without feeling any pressure.

Jim teamed up with fashion celebrity Celia Holman Lee to take on the role of joint marshal for the city’s spectacular parade.

As he and Celia were driven in an open-top car, he enthused: “this is massive, fantastic. It’s a great honour and my partner Celia is looking lovely.”

Jim had no red jersey, but glamorous Celia as usual turned many a head, dressed in a soft green and white number designed and made in Limerick by Marian Murphy-Cooney.

Celia said: “this beats the fashion ramp any day.”

Inspector Séamus Gallagher said the crowd that lined O’Connell Street was near 40,000. “It must be one of the greatest St Patrick’s Day parades in the city,” said Andrew Mawhinney of the Limerick Co-ordination Office.

Deputy mayor Maria Byrne; Defence Minister Willie O’Dea; Bishop Donal Murray and Indian Embassy first secretary NJ Gangte were among the dignitaries on the review stand.

The Defence Forces did their minister proud in his home city with a march past and a flyover by the Air Corps.

Appropriately, the parade in rugby-mad Limerick was preceded by a pass-the-ball race down the length of O’Connell Street involving underage and over-40s members of local clubs.

First to race past the try-line in front of the review platform was Young Munster’s Ger Meehan, aged 44. His son Eoin was the U12 representative on the Munster’s relay team.

Limerick has built special links with the city of Chester and visitors from the English city included street entertainers The Giants.

A detail of Massachusetts State troopers cut a formidable dash as they marched in the parade.