Manchester St Patrick's Day Parade 2012

Irish World Heritage Centre

• Starts at 10:00 am
• Admission: Free

Manchester St Patrick's Day Parade 2012

An t-Aifreann Lá Fhéile Padraig - St Patrick’s Day Parade

Join us in our celebration of St Patrick’s Mass in Gaelic, as we set the tone for a peaceful and enjoyable day, 10.00am.

The St Patrick’s Day parade sets off from the Irish World Heritage Centre at 11.30am sharp so make sure you are in position to view the floats.

Tens of thousands of people turn out every year to line the route of the St Patrick’s Day Parade and to revel in the party atmosphere and join in the celebrations.

The Irish World Heritage Centre held their first St Patrick’s Day Parade on the 17th March 1990 when the Members paraded to St Chad’s Church and attended a Mass celebrated by Fr. McGarry before returning to the Centre. It is interesting to note that at that parade the County Longford Association were the first to display a parade banner.

The following year, in 1991, the parade route was extended and went around the roundabout at the end of Cheetham Hill Road. It was in our third year, 1992, that the St. Patrick’s Day Parade was extended as far as Albert Square for the first time, where it was reviewed by the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Cllr. Billy Egerton.

In March 1993 the parade went again to Manchester Town Hall, but this time it was lead by the late Lord Mayor of Manchester, Cllr. Bill Risby, who was accompanied by the Mayors of Trafford and Salford.

Over the years we have had members of the Irish Government walk with us including An Taoiseach Bertie Aherne and Ministers, Brendan Smith and John O’Donoghue. We have continued to follow the route from the Irish World Heritage Centre to Manchester Town Hall and back again each year.

The parade features as a major part of the Manchester Irish Festival, and each year is preceded by Mass in Gaelic at the Irish World Heritage Centre. Fr. John Ahern, the well known Kerry Priest, has celebrated at 19 of those Masses and will be celebrating once again this year.

The Parade is very much a community based event with participants of all ages. Bands, floats and banners represent all the Counties of Ireland, the GAA, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the Rose of Tralee, dancing schools and many more Community organisations.

According to Rose Morris, Cultural Director of the Irish World Heritage Centre “This year’s parade is likely to be the last to leave from outside the current Irish World Heritage Centre as building has commenced on the new iconic Irish World Heritage Centre, just a hundred metres down Queens Road. We are very excited about the prospect of next year’s parade departing from the new Irish World Heritage Centre.”

There is currently a photographic exhibition on display at the Irish World Heritage Centre which documents 21 years of the Manchester St Patrick’s Day Parade.

For further information contact Irish World Heritage Centre, Tel: 0161 205 4007,
web: www.iwhc.com

The Parade Route following the Mass in Gaelic at 10:00am held in the Irish World Heritage Centre;
the St Patrick's Day Parade leaves Queens Road at 11.30am. The route takes the parade into Manchester City Centre, along Cheetham Hill Road, Corporation Street, Cross Street, John Dalton Street, Lloyd Street and arriving at Albert Square at 1pm. The parade arrives back at the Irish World Heritage Centre at 2.30pm.

Getting Involved

If you would like to get involved with the parade, please contact the organiser, Brian Kennedy on 0788 436 4848.

Statistics and Notes
There are approximatley

25 floats (approx 25 people per float)

4 marching bands (approx 30 people per band)