Mayo game or not, Strokestown Parade to stay on Easter Sunday!

< DAN DOONER

It has been confirmed this week that Strokestown’s Easter Parade will take place at 3 pm on Easter Sunday despite the Connacht Senior Football Championship clash between Roscommon and Mayo at Dr. Hyde Park being on the same day.

Last month, the Roscommon People reported that the Roscommon Town Easter Parade committee had taken the decision to switch their annual parade from the Sunday to Easter Monday, in light of the big game.

In a statement to the Roscommon People this week, Strokestown Community Development Association Chairperson Eugene Murphy said the vast majority of people wanted the event to go ahead as usual.

The statement read: “Strokestown Community Development Association wishes to acknowledge Roscommon Town Parade

Committee who approached us with an arrangement that might have suited both parades going ahead on Easter Monday.

“However, because the Roscommon Parade would not be going ahead until 3 pm it would mean Strokestown would have to put its annual parade back to 5 pm and this would be too late.

“We are also having the County Fleadh in Strokestown on the Easter weekend and the two events always work very well together.

‘We are One’ to be Ballaghaderreen parade theme

“We feel our decision is the correct one for Strokestown as already we have quite an interest in participation in the event.

“As an avid Rossie fan, I will certainly miss attending the match but I’m sure there will be a huge Roscommon contingent on the day.

“For those wishing to find out about the parade, please call Mary at Strokestown Community Development Office on 071-9633759 or 087-1668775/087-1385821”.

The theme for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Ballaghaderreen has been announced as ‘We are One’, in a bid to encourage people from all over the world to come to the town to connect and celebrate together.

The Ballaghaderreen Town Team is now seeking entrants for the parade with the aim of making the event bigger and better than ever before.

The following prizes are up for grabs this year: Overall Winner €200, Best Float €100, Best Club €100, Best Community Effort €100, Best Children’s Effort €100, Most Topical €100, Best Creative Entry €100, Best School €100, Best Musical Entry €100, and Best Window Display €100.

This year the celebrations will also include a Children’s Art Competition and entries can be sent to stpatricksdayparadeballagh@gmail.com including full name, age and contact details.

This year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade will start at 2.30 pm on Friday, March 17th, entering Ballaghaderreen from the Sligo Road before travelling through the town with stops at the Square and outside Imelda Towey’s premises for performances.

If you are interested in taking part in this year’s event, an application form is available at https:// forms.gle/jYmrmMaPu1bEGj4h9 or you can pick up/drop off a hard copy at the Community Resource Centre at the Shambles, Charlestown Road, Ballaghaderreen.

There is no entry fee, however donations can be made when submitting a paper entry form or visit our GoFundMe page to add a donation: https://gofund.me/48f49b50.

For further information, please email stpatricksdayparadeballagh@gmail.com or visit ‘Ballaghaderreen St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Facebook.