St Patrick’s Day parade planning well underway in Trim
Planning for this year's Trim St Patrick's Day Parade is well under way and the committee is encouraging local groups, businesses, schools and organisations to get involved in the annual celebration.
Jimmy Ryan, who along with a small committee has been organising the Trim parade for the last few years, outlined that there will be music from 11am until 2.30pm at the reviewing stand in advance of the parade itself to keep the crowds entertained.
Acts so far confirmed include Pat Kelly and Mary O'Connor, Aoife Furlong, and Trim Brass Band. There will also be performances from the Carney School of Dancing. MC for the parade will be Damien O'Reilly, helped out by Willie Fay.
The new Meath Rose Ella Bannon will be in town before the parade starts for a meet and greet and will be handing out flags to the children along the streets. The parade itself will set off from the Ring Road at 3.30pm. The colour party from the Defence Forces will lead the parade and the Forresters marching band will follow on. Gardai, Trim Fire Service and the Irish Red Cross will all have vehicles in the parade and the walking groups will join from Scoil Mhuire Secondary School on Patrick Street.
Again this year, there were will be a dedicated sensory area on Patrick Street where the vehicles will be asked not to honk horns and the parade will pass quietly by this area before turning onto Emmet Street and continuing with full sound.
There will be prizes for the best floats and best groups and a special award for the best dressed shop window with all local businesses encouraged to decorate their windows for the day.
Jimmy Ryan is also encouraging new local businesses to get involved in the parade saying it is a great way to showcase and advertise their business while also supporting the annual parade.
The parade is a planned by a small committee but Jimmy said on the day itself there are always people willing to help out and steward and they are very grateful for this. He is also thanking all who come out to support the event on the day.
“Without the local people of Trim and the surrounding areas coming out to support it, we wouldn't have a parade. We are hoping for a big crowd again this year and hopefully the weather will be good on the day.”