Events Taking Place Across The Midlands This St. Patrick's Bank Holiday Weekend

A list of the parades and events taking place in Laois, Offaly and Westmeath.

Offaly:

Celebrations in Offaly kick off at 10am in Rhode. 

The Parade will begin on the Power Station Road and head into the village - residents along the route are being asked to decorate their homes with flags and buntings. 

Mary Joe Kilmurray is the Grand Marshal. 


 
The theme for Tullamore's St. Patrick's Day Parade is "Community Spirit" and the parade starts off in the Bridge Centre car park at 11.30am.

Killeigh branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann will have a float with live music as they launch their special 23-hour music marathon called "Music For Ashling" - in honour of talented musician Ashling Murphy. 

Secretary of the festivities Sean O'Brien has more details:

A snake trail is one of the highlights at Birr Castle and Gardens this bank holiday weekend.

Meanwhile in Clara, it kicks off at 11.30am with live music from Alex Roe, Teresa O'Hara, Joe Reilly and many more local artists.

The Conroy dancers will also be on hand to entertain.

The parade starts at 12.30pm from Charlestown Bridge. 

Midlands 103's Liam Dumpleton is the Grand Marshal. 

Organiser Bertie McMahon says everyone is welcome to take part:

A carnival is taking place in the Square in Edenderry from 12 noon - with live music - and face painting for the children, along with an artisan market.

The parade will take place at 2.30pm. 

Festivities get underway in Kilcormac at 3.30pm from the GAA centre.

This year's theme is history, vintage tractors and machinery, with the parade to contain plenty of floats. 

Westmeath:

Mullingar isn't hosting a parade this year, but there are plenty of celebrations taking place in the town.

The half marathon gets underway at 9am and the Fleadh 5k starts at 10am. 

A tractor run is passing through the town at 3pm - there will be prizes for the best-dressed tractor (Fleadh Cheoil or St Patrick's Day theme) and music. 

While in Athlone, there's a four-day festival called Croí na hÉireann taking place.

There'll be a mini market in the town centre, traditional music and dancing and lots of activities for children, the first hosting of the Croí na hÉireann Trout Fishing competition, demonstrations from Athlone Sub Aqua Club, and an American football game will take place in Páirc Chiaráin. 

The parade will take place at 2pm on Sunday and it will include an 18 foot Spiderman, Superman and Bart Simpson. 

The North Westmeath St. Patrick's Day Parade will take place this year in Castlepollard at 5.15pm. 

The theme this year is 'Connections' and there will be music from Mullingar Town Band and Spirit of 52 band from Germany. 

The Delvin Parade Committee is hosting a St Patrick's Day Festival at the Cattle Mart in Delvin tomorrow from 2-5pm. 

There will be something for all the family, with live music by young folk band, "Some Ones Sons" and Athboy's Brian Mullen. 

There will be circus performers, balloon modelling, and face painting. 

Admission will be free. 

Laois:

It's an early start in Laois, with celebrations being in Vicarstown at 9am, it's 10am start in Timahoe and in Stradbally it's at 11am -  the three Parishes will hold mass after the parades and it will be followed by St. Patrick's Day cake and a cup of tea in the hall. 

Parishioners are asked to dress up and carry banners. 

Portlaoise is holding a two-day Street Festival to celebrate the St Patrick's Day bank holiday.

The street festivities will be held on Main Street, Portlaoise from 2-6pm on Thursday March 17th and Friday March 18th.  

There will be street traders, Irish music, jugglers, bands, baton twirls, buskers and street entertainers. 

Michael Delaney has more details: 

The parade in Clonaslee is getting under way at 12 noon and the Grand Marshall is Eileen Dunne, who has strong connections to the area through her late dad Mick.

There will be prizes for the best floats, including the best dressed dog.

Paddy Keating, chairperson of the organising committee, says people in the area have been working hard on their floats:

Mountmellick have an action-packed three-day Boglands Festival, which begins today.

There will be a market in Mountmellick Community Arts Centre. There'll also be a funfair, an inflatable event play area, along with street dancers, drummers stilt walker.

The parade will take place tomorrow at 2.30pm. 

Mounrath's parade is also taking place tomorrow. It's starting from St. Fintan's GAA Field at 12:30pm. The theme is 'Mountrath Goes Green - recycle, recreate'.

Celebrations are getting underway in Rosenallis at 3.30pm - there will be prizes for the best participants and free tea, coffee and cake in the community centre after the parade. 

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