Enjoying last year’s parade in sunny Bundoran. Photo: Claudio Salviato
BY SEÁN P. FEENY
AS Donegal prepares for St Patrick’s Day bank holiday weekend a lot of fantastic events have been organised around the county.
In Letterkenny the annual parade will kick off at 2pm while a number of events have been organised for the early evening.
As part of its continued campaign the Save The Church Lane committee has organised a music session outside Universal Books from 4 to 5pm.
The event has been organised to in celebration of the Church Lane and to recreate the festival atmosphere of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann on the streets of Letterkenny.
Talented young musicians from Coláiste Ailigh will be performing and organisers would welcome any other musicians, from trad to pop or rock, to come down and join them.
In Ramelton the annual St Patrick’s Day Bazaar will take place on Monday in the Town Hall raising funds for ongoing renovations at St Mary’s Church.
As every year there are parades taking place all over the county. A St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held in the Twin Towns on Sunday, commencing at 3pm. A fancy dress competition will be held with fancy dress entrants invited to be part of the parade.
An RTÉ Camera crew will be filming at the parade in Carrigart on Monday, while the annual parade in Creeslough takes place after 11am Mass on St Patrick’s Day.
The St Patrick’s Day Parade in the parish of Gaoth Dobhair will start at Bunbeg, Crossroads at 2.30pm and proceed to Molloy’s Supermarket in Derrybeg. Usually this parade attracts large number of spectators and organisers hope this will be the case again this year.
Meanwhile, in the Rosses marching bands have been practising hard for St Patrick’s Day and Easter Sunday. Many of these bands will be participating in the parade in Dungloe on Monday keeping up a long and proud tradition and they will also attend masses at all the churches in the Rosses.
Goats Don’t Shave
A very exciting event has been organised for that evening in Dungloe when Goats Don’t Shave, supported by The original Muttley Crew, will play in RCS Sports Hall, Dungloe from 6-10pm on St Patrick’s Day with €10 admission and a full bar.
The event has been titled An Evening For Lucy Gallagher and raised much-needed funds for the little Maghery toddler with the rare skin condition who touched the hearts of people all over the country with her story over the past year.
But festivities will be taking over the whole weekend. Red Hugh’s GAA club will hold a ‘day of culture’ tomorrow (Saturday) at their facility at Monellan, Crossroads, Killygordon, from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. Events will include games such as horse-shoe and wellie throwing as well as pitching pennies. There will also be Gaelic skills, céilí dancing and participants will be given an opportunity to learn the National Anthem as Gaeilge.
Turning Green
Malin Head is set to join the pantheon of spectacular locations throughout the world that will be illuminated in a swathe of green light, in celebration of one of the most recognised National Holidays on the world calendar. Donegal Tourism in conjunction with Donegal County Council will light up our very own spectacular natural landmark and this will definitely be worth a visit.
In other parts of the county landmarks all around Bundoran are turning green for the weekend while Donegal Castle in Donegal town is also turning green for the weekend.
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