Going Green in Ballaghaderreen this St. Patrick’s Day

THE theme for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day in Ballaghaderreen has been announced as 'Going Green in Ballaghaderreen'.

Ballaghaderreen Town Team is looking forward to lots of fun-filled and colourful floats displaying the best of the local community and heritage.

The parade will start on Monday, March 17, at 2.30 p.m., entering the town from the Sligo Road, and will travel up through the town with performance stops at The Square and outside Imelda Towey’s shop.

There will be two starting points, one at Abbeyfield for driving floats and the other at the cathedral for walking floats.

Judging will take place at the grandstand on the Square and spectator areas will be available throughout the town.

This year, there will be a sensory awareness silent section from Creaton’s Bar to the garda station, with stewards operating on either side.

Prizes are to be won in the following categories: Overall winner €200; Best club entry €100; Best community entry €100; Best children’s entry €100; Most topical entry €100; Best creative entry €100; Best school entry €100; Best musical entry €100; Best vintage entry €100; Best machinery entry €100; Best window display €100, and Best Audience Costume/Novelty Hat €100.

The celebrations will also include the annual St. Patrick's Day children's art competition. You can enter by emailing your works of art to stpatricksdayparadeballagh@gmail.com with your full name, age and contact details.

A spokesperson for the Ballaghaderreen Town Team said: “The St. Patrick’s Day parade is a wonderful day celebrated by the whole community. Everyone comes together and gets involved and there is always a joyous feeling around the town.”

Ballaghaderreen Town Team is a small group of volunteers, who represent various community groups in the Ballaghaderreen area. Following on from last year’s success, they have been asked to organise the St. Patrick’s Day parade again.

If you are interested in taking part in this year’s event, an application form is available at https://bit.ly/BallaghParade2025 or you can pick up and drop off a hard copy at the Community Resource Centre at the Shambles, Charlestown Road, Ballaghaderreen.

No entry fee is required but donations are greatly appreciated and can be made when submitting a paper entry form or by visiting the GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/09939c7e.

Please email stpatricksdayparadeballagh@gmail.com if you have any queries or visit Ballaghaderreen St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Facebook.