Navan parade in danger of floating away forever

Volunteers needed to ensure future of event

The future of Navan's St Patrick’s Day parade is in doubt as a handful of volunteers struggle to organise it on their own.

"If we don't get more help, there won't be any more parades, " the organising committee has warned.

With an average of just four at meetings of the St Patrick's Day Committee, they say it getting harder and harder to stage the popular event and warn they cannot continue as things are.

"We are fed up, it is just a struggle to get help and it is extremely difficult with just a handful of people," said disillusioned committee member, Karen Ball.

In a bid to save the parade a special meeting is taking place tonight (Wednesday at 8pm in the Stonehouse Bar, Kennedy Place and the public are urged to attend to show their support and get involved in organising the event.

"There are just three, four or five people trying to organise the market stalls, the children’s entertainment and then the parade itself.

"And then we get plenty of stick online, but if some of those who complain got involved it could be so much better. We cannot continue to keep it going if people don't row in behind us.

"Most of the local businesses and some of the councillors contribute funding , but we need to get more people involved.

"Years ago, when the late Paddy Pryle was organising it, we had a lot more help. He was great at getting people involved. Thankfully, his wife, Pamela, is still very much involved. It would be great if we could have more help to organise the various event and help out on the day.

"As it is, the few of us that are involved, have been running from the stall to the children’s' entertainment to the Enterprise centre, trying to get everything in order and up and running. It is extremely difficult.

"Honestly, it has got to the stage, that we don't know why we are doing it anymore. We are running our of energy.

"We need more bodies and we need new ideas on how to make it bigger and better."

Chairman, Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons urged the public to get behind the parade and attend tomorrow night's meeting.

"We have already done quite a bit of work on this year's event, but we just cannot continue to have parades year in, year out without more help.

"The last meeting we had, there were only four people at it. Often there has been only three and the most was five or six.

"It is a huge ask for such a small group of people to hold the parade and entertainment. We are really struggling.

"It is always a lovely day, especially for children, but we seriously need hep or it will fall apart.

"People give out about the parade, but if those who are giving out did a bit too, we could have a much bigger and better day.

"The big issues for us are security and safety and we need more volunteers, particularly on the day itself, to ensure everything is right. It is a very stressful day for us.

"We really need new faces, a fresh impetus could really regenerate the whole day," he said.