IT’S St Patrick’s weekend and here’s your BEST guide to what’s on across the county.
Enjoy a great weekend – and make sure you send your best pix to info@donegaldaily.com.
Here’s your town guide.
Ardara: The town is having its brilliant Walking Weekend with several events throughout the three days. The main parade is on Monday, March 18, Parade at 3.30pm. This year Paddy McGrath, Pat Shovelin and the Sam Maguire Cup will lead the Parade. The usual visiting Bands will perform and we expect a great selection of floats. All visiting floats are welcome also commercial floats are welcome to enter, please contact Gerard 087 6488628 or Margaret 087 2023033. There is a prize of €500 for the winner, also good prizes for 2nd and 3rd.
Ballybofey & Stranorlar: Loads of fun planned in the Twin Towns on Sunday, March 17 2.30 Gala parade. 4.30pm Guinness World Record Attempt for Patricks and Patricias, Finn Valley Centre. Please bring birth certificate for verification. Patrick or Patricia must be first name, not middle name. Variations allowed but must be pre-approved name. Bouncy Castle, Obstacle Course, Magician, Face Painting and loads more for a great day out. Please contact Kathy Taaffe on 086 314 2886 if you require further information.
Ballyshannon: Sunday 17th March, Parade at 2pm, All Floats and bands are welcome. Prize trophies for best dressed floats and best dressed window display, Parade Prize Giving at 4pm in Dicey Reilly’s Function Room with Music By Christy Moore & Declan Sinnott Tribute Act.
Buncrana: As part of ‘The Gathering Ireland 2013’ Buncrana St. Patrick’s Festival are inviting thousands of people around the world to participate in one of the Northwest’s Largest St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. Come along and enjoy the craic, people and atmosphere. Soak up the vibrant atmosphere; feel the energy, wave to the audience along the 1 km route and best of all once you have finished you can marvel at the spectacular street performances, music and parade. Build lifelong memories, display your Irish pride, celebrate all that is good about Ireland and being Irish (even if you are just an honorary Irish person for one day!) and savour your unique journey through historic Inishowen – the journey of a lifetime! St. Patrick’s Festival 2013 takes place from Friday the 15th to Sunday 17th March, we hope to see you there! The St’Patricks Parade starts 3pm with entertainment on the street before and after the parade.
Bundoran: Sunday, March 17, Parade at 3.30pm from East End. A group of visiting students from the Athenian School in Danville, California will be among the participants in the annual Bundoran St Patrick’s Day Parade. Fresh from their Irish Premiere, the stars of the new Hardy Bucks movie will make an appearance on Saturday night in Aqua Nightclub while on Friday night patrons of the old Peppies Nightclub on Main Street will reunite in the Kicking Donkey raising funds for the RNLI and Cystic Fibrosis. There’s live music in pubs across town too. The civic offices in Bundoran and also the iconic “Rock of the Birds” monument by local sculptor Brendan McGloin which overlooks the Peak surf break will also turn green for the week.
Burtonport: Sunday, March 17: Celebration of Irish Culture, 12noon-2pm in St Columba’s Community centre, Acres. Free entertainment includes traditional music and dancing, marching bands, traditional games, free tea/coffee and stew etc.. If you have money to spend however, there will also be fun games, raffles, rickety wheel, lucky leprechaun’s hat, etc. All donations and takings on the day will go towards the local the local lifeboat and the local summer festival. ‘Discover The Leprechauns’ Secret’ – Fun Family walk for St Patrick’s weekend. If you would like to find out where the local Burtonport Leprechauns are hiding their crock of gold and be in with a chance of winning it as a prize, then come along to The Old Railway Walk in Burtonport anytime between 10am on Friday 15th and 6pm Monday 18th March. Local leprechauns will be out and about with clues which will reveal the crock’s secret location. Register for the walk by picking up an entry form with details from The Check Out Service Station, Burtonport. Cost is €5 per family entry with all funds collected going towards developing Playmatters which is situated in the CDP, Dungloe. The Irish Duck Race: As part of Burtonport’s St Patrick’s Fay celebrations, the first “Irish Duck Race” will be held on St Patrick’s day in Meenbannad. Give your duck an Irish name and see how fast it can make its way to the finish line which will be under the bridge near Paddy Neilley’s Pub in Meenbannad. Ducks are €5 each and are on sale at some local shops and post offices. Alternatively contact Donna at the Cope in Annagry or by phoning 086 073 0517 to purchase a duck. Only 100 ducks in the race with prize money totalling €300. All proceeds from The Irish Duck Race will be shared between lifeboat and Burtonport festival.
Carrick: Saturday, March 16, Parade at 3pm. St Catherine’s Band from Killybegs will lead the parade. Information from Óstan Shliabh a’ Liag 074 973 9973. Music in all the Bars.
Creeslough: Sunday, March 17: The Meenderry School Band will parade from St. Michael’s Church through the village after 11am mass.
Donegal Town: Sunday, March 17. Donegal Town promises to be, as always, the largest parade in the south of the county. With many floats, bands, schools, community groups and businesses taking part, the whole community in Donegal Town and its surrounding areas are busy preparing for the longest running annual spectical in these parts. Participating vehicles should assemble at Donegal Town Hardware before 2pm and walking participants to assemble in the coned area next to the Methodist Church after 2.30pm. The parade will depart from the Donegal Business park at 3pm sharp coming across the Mullins, turning left towards the Diamond where it will cross in front of the Abbey Hotel, and turn left again towards Main Street and beyond. The parade will turn and retrace the route so spectators will get a chance to see what may have been missed the first time around. With entertaining activities on the Diamond all day for all the family, Donegal Town continues to be THE place to be on St Patrick’s Day.
Drumkeen: Drumkeen parish would like to invite everyone to celebrate the 40th anniversary of St. Patrick’s Church on Friday March 15th. The blessing of the new wall and gates will take place at 6.15pm, and Mass will be con-celebrated by Fr. Herrity and Fr. Curran at 7 pm. Refreshments will be served in thehall after mass where a collection of old photographs will be on display. Contact Charlie on 087 772 8608 for details.
Dunfanaghy: Sunday, March 17. Festivities will get underway at 1pm with music in the Market Square and the annual band parade; there will be prizes for the best float and also the best dressed child. From 3pm-5pm there will be a bouncy castle and kids disco with DJ in the Ozanam Community Centre, there will be a small cover charge for this event and everyone is welcome.There will also be events in the Workhouse during the day so there should be entertainment for young and old in Dunfanaghy this St. Patrick’s Day.
Dungloe: Sunday, March 17, Parade starts at 3.30pm with loads of family entertainment.
Gaoth Dobhair: Sunday, March 17 Parade starts at Bunbeg Crossroads 2.30pm and proceeds to Molloys Supermarket, Derrybeg. Prior to the parade there will be a Human Chain formed from Bunbeg crossroads to Derrybeg. So don’t forget to bring few euro and place them in the buckets collecting during the event. Joe Diver is behind this and all money collected will go to Relay For Life Cancer Support. Joe has asked everyone taking part should be there at 2.00pm at the latest and the chain will be formed at 2.10pm. It is also important to note that the road will close shortly afterwards.
Glenties: Sunday, March 17 at 1pm Guinnes Book of Records attempt for Most Leprechauns, with music and entertainment, on Main Street. It’s not to late to register. Call into the Market Hall tonight 7-9pm or Saturday 12noon-4pm, ring Brian on 087 935 4012 or email your size or your child’s age to 2013leprechaun@gmail.com. You can also follow us at Glenties.ie and on Facebook Glenties world record attempt 2013. An outfit will cost you €8 or if you need some part replaced or repaired from last year call into the Market Hall. Everybody must register on the day of the record attempt €2 so that we can sort out numbers. To top the day off there will also be a float, band and carnival parade after the record attempt.
Glencolmcille: Sunday, March 17, Parade at 2pm. Parade will be led by Kilcar Pipe Band. Irish music and dancing at Halla Mhuire immediately after the parade.
Kerrykeel: Our Annual St.Patrick’s Day Parade will take place in Kerrykeel at 5.30pm on Sunday. Phone entries for floats can be made by ringing The Village Inn on 9150062. There will be prizes for the Best Adults and Best Kids Float. The Fanad Band will lead the parade. Floats to assemble at Kerrykeel National School at 5pm. Come along and enjoy the craic!
Letterkenny: The Letterkenny St.Patrick’s day parade is one of the biggest in Donegal and this year RTE will filming the event for a special programme. Letterkenny Chamber is asking everyone to proudly display their Irishness and showing the rest of Ireland how Letterkenny enjoys itself. They are asking people to get your shamrock out and put on your best St.Patrick’s day costume and join in the fun. Chamber President John Watson said “Letterkenny St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a great family event in Letterkenny and the staff and voluntary committee are working hard to ensure it is a success. This year the parade falls on a Sunday attracting lots of visitors who will be here for the weekend and I am sure we can give them a fantastic welcome. Contributions from large and small businesses are coming in and we will be having a bucket collection on the day, so if you’re approached please drop in some loose change. Safety is our prime concern on the day and we join with the Gardai, Donegal Youth Service and others to keep this an alcohol free day.” There will be music and Irish Dancing from the Ferry School of Irish Dancing from 2.15pm. The Parade led by the official colour party starts at 3pm on Sunday 17th March and includes the usual mix of dancers, cars, music and colour. On the day the independent judges view the parade with various categories in mind including community, sports, youth, band and dance. Each category winner receives a plaque and the overall winning entry receives the Danny Doherty Perpetual Plaque plus a cheque for €500. The parade starts at 3pm making its way from Station Roundabout via Port Road, through Main Street past the viewing platform at Market Square to finish in Old Town. The road is officially closed from 1.30pm although disabled parking is available at An Grianan Theatre. The results are announced from the viewing platform directly after the parade. Entries line up along Pearse Road and are marshalled into the parade by stewards. The parade will be lead by the traditional colour party and the first band is the recently re-formed Letterkenny Senior Accordian Band. There will be motorised entries, floats, dancers and lots more.
Lough Derg: Sunday, March 17 11am-3pm, Guest Speakers: Bishop Joseph Duffy and Fr Tom Hamill. Boats will run from 10am. Programme: 11am Address on the life and influence of St Patrick (art & craft activities for children). Lunch & traditional music at 12:30pm. Mass will be celebrated at 2pm. Cost €20 includes boat fare & lunch. (€8 per child). Advance booking is essential. Telephone 071 986 1518, Email info@loughderg.org or www.loughderg.org
Malin: BIG BREAKFAST Malin GAA will be running “The Big Breakfast” on St. Patrick’s Day from 9.30 am to 2pm in the Clubhouse. €5 for Adults and €3 for Children, a great way to start St. Patrick’s Day before heading to the parades!
Moville: Everybody is welcome to take part in the parade which begins at 2.30pm. Walkers should gather outside the Corner Bar on Quay Street, from 2pm while anybody who is entering a motorized float should congregate at Glencrow. There will be floats, bands and a bouncy castle on the day, and loads of live music afterwards.
Rosbeg: Sunday, March 17, Parade at 3pm from the Old School. Come along and enjoy this great family day. Get involved – bring your banners, flags or – better still – dress up. Tea, Sandwiches and home baked fancy goods are free in Joe Molloy’s afterwards. All children will receive a special Goodie Bag and a Leprechaun Hunt will take place at 5pm. You can also look forward to a great night of music and dance to suit all ages. Traditional and Country Music from 4-10pm.
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