Latest Laois News: Lady Footballers to be Portlaoise Parade’s Grand Marshalls
Laois Lady Footballers to be Grand Marshalls of Portlaoise Parade
The St Patrick’s Day Committee are in the final stages of the planning for this year’s Portlaoise Parade and they expect the ‘Craic will be Mighty’, with numerous floats entered and bands playing at the top and bottom of Main Street this year. The Parade will be held on Friday 17th March and the Laois Ladies Footballers have been confirmed as the Grand Marshalls this year after their fantastic achievements, culminating in an All-Ireland Intermediate Success in Croke Park against Wexford in 2022.
The Parade will be commencing from Laois County Council at 12.30pm on Friday 17th March and going up the Main Street (from the bottom to the top square) and expected to finish at 2.00pm. The Parade will be followed by Irish Dancing, Music, Craft Stalls, Children’s Amusements and much, much more. Children can purchase a band this year for €5 which entitles them to use the children’s amusements in a designated area as many times as they like.
From 12.30pm – the Parade leaves Laois County Council Building. Some of the floats that will be parading this year include: UN Veterans, Laois Ladies Footballers (Grand Marshalls this year); Vintage displays from Tony Dunne, Ballinakill, Raheen and Knock Vintage Clubs; Portlaoise GAA; Clonad GAA; Portlaoise Soccer Club; Fossey Mountain Range; Laois African Support Group; Golden Ravens from Timahoe; Civil Defence; Ukrainian Support Group; Laochra Laois and much much more.
The Parade will finish at the top square at approximately 2.00pm where a viewing stand will be filled with Laois TDs, Councillors and other local dignitaries.
The Parade will be followed by a Community Event on Main Street, Portlaoise involving Street acts, Irish Music, Trade Stands, Irish Dancing and much, much more. Band’s confirmed include the AJs, the Finns and Frank’s Country and Western All Stars to name but a few. MCs – Christy Bannon and Paul Downey will entertain the crowds at the top and bottom square.
The committee are grateful to all local businesses and communities who are helping to make this a memorable event including Laois County Council, Portlaoise Publicans, Downtown Portlaoise and Portlaoise Tidy Towns.
The St Patrick’s Day committee include: Chairperson and Events Co-Ordinator, Dominic Dunne; Secretary, Pauline Flanagan; Treasurer Eugene McDonough, Paul Downey MC, Christy Bannon MC, Frank Ward, PJ Kavanagh; Wayne Haslam, Councillor Catherine Fitzgerald and Noel Tuohy.