Town begins St Patrick’s Day celebrations eight days early

MALLOW celebrated St Patrick’s Day with a colourful parade yesterday — eight days ahead of the national feast.

The parade organisers, led by Mayor of Mallow Noel O’Connor, decided to change the traditional date of the march because St Patrick’s Day falls this year during Holy Week.

The 21st annual parade in honour of St Patrick in Mallow, it proved a big success, with fine weather, a large number of spectators and a wide range of participants.

The Thomas Davis Pipe Band and the Defence Forces led the parade, which included community, commercial and public service groups.

Parade committee founder member Hannah Sheahan, who has given a lifetime of service to the Irish Red Cross Society at local and national levels, was the grand marshal.

Mayor of County Cork Tom Sheahan, Minister of State Micheál Ahern, Dáil Deputies Ned O’Keeffe and Sean Sherlock, as well as local authority members, were among the attendance.

The parade, which featured four bands, was reviewed from a town centre platform.