LuckO’the Irish

IIN YEARS PAST, central Ohio residents full of Irish spirit were forced to choose: Would they celebrate in Columbus itself, or in the local namesake of Ireland’s capital city?

Thanks to cooperation between officials from both Columbus and Dublin, no

Dublin devotees can attend the Columbus St. Patty’s Day parade and vice versa

one has to decide between the larger celebration Downtown and the parade that in 2011 was named the sixth best in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

This year, Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities will be held Saturday, March 10, a week before Columbus’ parade.

“A lot of the people that are in our parade – the bands, the bagpipers, the dancers – many of them are involved in the Columbus festivities that take place on the 17th, and we didn’t want to conflict with that to make it difficult for them to participate in both events,” says events administrator Mary Jo DiSalvo. “It’s like having a whole week of fun.”

DiSalvo suggests kicking off a week of St. Patrick’s Day festivities 7 a.m. March 10 at the Dublin Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, held at Sells Middle School, 150 W. Bridge St. At 9 a.m., the “Inflation Celebration” begins in the parking lot of the Dublin Crowne Plaza Hotel, 600 Metro Pl. N.

“People can see some of the big helium balloons inflated,” DiSalvo says. “We’ll have the giant shamrock balloons and we may have a top hat this year. We’re trying to secure a good top hat.”

Next, head over to the Indian Run Elementary School parking lot, 80 W. Bridge St., where the Hooligans, a local Irish-American band, will be playing and complimentary refreshments will be served. At 11 a.m., the parade begins from Metro Center and travels through Historic Dublin. Participants slated for this year’s “Greenest, Grandest Parade” include the Dublin high school marching bands and local pipe and drum groups.

“We like to see people dressed in their greenest, Irish-looking clothing,” DiSalvo says. “Come to Dublin and get your Irish attitude, and then run with it the whole week wherever you want.”

For more information about Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day events, visit www.dublin. oh.us/events/stpats.