St Patrick's Day parade supplement in this week's Guardian
Sun smiles on Nenagh parade
THE sun smiled down and thousands thronged the streets again as Nenagh held its seventh successive St Patrick's Day last Thursday.
More than 40 entries – most of them local – featured in the parade, which was another successful celebration of community spirit on our national day.
Led out by an ONE ex-service personnel colour party, the procession continued with the Ormond Brass Band, Nenagh Scouts & Beavers, Cloughjordan Scouts & Beavers, and the little 'Naionraí' members of Conradh na Gaeilge, who gave a recital as Gaeilge before the reviewing stand at Market Cross.
Next came members of Ormond Special Olympics, followed by a parade of Berg go-karts from JKCs of Nenagh, and then Nenagh Active Retirement Association, Nenagh Ormond Olympic Athletic Club, Kildangan GAA Club, Ladybirds childcare, Nenagh Éire Óg, Nenagh AFC, Slevin School of Irish Dancing, St Mary's Convent School Band, and Nenagh Ormond RFC. The MacLoone O'Meara Academy of Irish Dancing gave a performance before the reviewing stand, after which Darth Vader made his way down town flanked by two Storm Troopers.
MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Warriors also made an appearance in the parade, as did the stilt walkers, uni-cyclists and jugglers of Cloughjordan Circus Club. There was a big procession of vintage agricultural machinery from the Nenagh-founded Vintage Engine Tractor Association, followed an intriguing array of vehicles from Nenagh Classic Car Club.
Paul the Mobile Barber also featured, as did Lough Derg Sub Aqua Club. The local diving club and voluntary search & rescue service constituted one of the standout talking points of the parade after transforming their boat into the 1916 arms-smuggling 'Aud', replete with water cannon.
There then followed a dextrous display of martial arts from members of Nenagh Kickboxing Club, after which came another head-turning moment courtesy of Nenagh Lions Club in promotion of their 'Try-a-Tri' event on June 11th. Participants dressed up as politicians and performed a re-enactment of Joan Burton's famous falling out of the boat, drawing laughs aplenty.
There was more Irish dancing from Portroe GAA Club, an enquine entry from John Casey and Gerry McInerney, and Nenagh Credit Union in tandem with Slattery's car dealers of Puckane.
Nenagh Fencing Club – the only fencing club outside Dublin that coaches children – crossed swords at the cross, before the parade continued with Premier Garage Doors, Midlands Gymnastic Club, the Ballycommon Sponsored Ride, Line & Sequence Dancing Club, Borrisokane & District Vintage Club, and Fogarty Concrete. The parade concluded with a noisey cacophony from the patched members of Eagle Knights Motorcycle Club and a musical float from Lily's Bar, Nenagh.
MC Michelle Geraghty took the opportunity to thank the main sponsors of the parade, Tipperary Co Council and Procter & Gamble. Ms Geraghty also thanked Cllr Hughie McGrath and the hardworking parade committee, and she bestowed 'go raibh míle maith agat' to the people of Nenagh for having the town looking so colourful and vibrant again on St Patrick's Day.