St Patricks Day Parade Sunday 11th March 2012

The Parade Route

This year the parade is back to it's traditional route
(Last year road works closed Corporation Street and altered the route.)

Following the Mass in Gaelic at 10am at 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

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, 1991, the parade was extended to go to the roundabout at the end of Cheetham Hill Road following Mass in Gaelic at the Irish World Heritage Centre.

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. William 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, accompanied by the Mayors of Trafford and Salford.

Over the years we have had members of the Irish Government walk with us including Bertie Aherne, the Taoiseach and Ministers, Brendan Smith and John O’Donaghue. Since then we have continued to follow the route from the Irish World Heritage Centre to Manchester Town Hall and back again for a fun packed day.

It continues to be a major Irish Festival event always preceded by Mass in Gaelic. Fr. John Ahern, the well known Kerry Priest, has officiated at 19 of those Masses and will be officiating 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, Rose of Tralee, dancing schools and many more Community organisations.