Limerick's St. Patricks Day Parade in decline ?

Raiser

Not to take from the efforts of those individuals and groups who obviously put a lot of time and effort into preparing for the event and taking time out of their schedules to take part on the day.....

But wasn't the Limerick Parade a lot better years ago - with more variety and effort made all round ? Where are all the US marching bands - have they stopped attending, or are they just not being accommodated any more......?

- Special thanks go out from the bottom of my heart to Adare Shutters/Apollo Blinds, Eastway business park - as I stood in the cold, on the side of the street, with a bored two year old on my shoulders, they drove their Truck and 2/3 white vans down the street - having gone to the immense effort of sellotaping [literally only] 2/3 green ribbons to the back of the truck [only] :rolleyes:

- Maybe some day all the kids will grow up and remember this glorious, wonderful, extravagant spectacle and order all their blinds from these civic-minded pillars of our community.......In the meantime all the best and most conscientious parents in Limerick can take their kids down to Eastway during the week to see the whole whole fleet in action in their car park - perhaps - if you're really lucky one of the vans might have a ladder on it - or something like that..........[:eek:]

sioda

Here hang on a sec you can't blame the promoters(btw the same who brought us the munster final screens) for the decline in the paddies day parade. AFAIK major businesses were banned from going in the parade a number of years ago and they never really took interest in it again. Also the parade is handled by the Limerick Co-Ordination office

Most people would probably remember the Mr Binman dragon a good few years ago that was the last year of commercial interaction with the parade on the grounds that the parade was a celebration of the people not the businesses involved.

Raiser

I don't blame the promoters for anything other than the fact that if a Business arrives at the start of the St. Patrick's Day Parade in a major Irish City with three plain white commercial Vans and a Truck and 4.5 feet of green ribbon they should be told by the promoter to fcuk off in any direction; preferably in the direction of an advertising firm of some description.

- Also and just to clarify my viewpoint to some extent; I was 100% fine with the fact that [for example] Tony Connolly had a presence in the Parade; they made an effort and I'm sure that many children [mine included] found the Limousines, kids in costume, masks and Shrek costumes etc. highly entertaining........

The Tony Connolly example can be further welcomed in fact as it was adding to an event that needed a lot more support/content. I'd be fine with each and every business in Limerick having an small advert ahead of their Parade entry if they had a float or some entertainment factor such as a couple of cartoon characters waving at the kids etc.

- Then we might actually have a Parade.

*EDIT* The promoters details mysteriously disappeared into Dub13's dungeon for all information that it subversive, bold and evil [?] - Its openly and unashamedly available here: http://www.festivalslimerick.com/press_release.htm via their Press release; which, in keeping with the modus operandi of most press releases, is public domain and even released for the attention of the public. There is no mention of white vans though in their stated theme: "The theme of the St. Patrick’s Day parade will be the United Colours of Limerick and all sporting, cultural, community and social organisations are invited to take part."*/EDIT*

sioda

I get ya still miss the Binman Skip dragon

Have to agree I believe the parade has been in massive decline.

I feel the past few years a lot of experimentation has been done in passed years parade ending in King Johns Castle starting at the wrong end of o connell street. Wish they could decide on a format.

I didn't see the parade this year but the pics I have seen tell me its not really much of a change.

bazz26

I think most of the large bands attend the Dublin parade on Paddy's Day these days, that was the major reason behind moving the Band Parade to a Sunday in other cities/towns.

I do agree though that it appears to be in a state of decline, it used to be alot better years ago imo.

Poxyshamrock

What Limerick needs is a committee dedicated to organising a Paddy's day festival. Some along the lines of the one in Dublin where it takes 18 months to organise a parade and the other stuff.

The Limerick parade needs more papier maché characters and floats and less northside regeneration and essential bathrooms

Raiser

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

The Limerick parade needs more papier maché characters and floats and less northside regeneration and essential bathrooms

Quote of the month Mr. Shamrock

ellenmelon

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

What Limerick needs is a committee dedicated to organising a Paddy's day festival. Some along the lines of the one in Dublin where it takes 18 months to organise a parade and the other stuff.

i agree with you but i also wonder where the money is going to come from. i feel you would have to pay at least one full time person so they can devote the time needed. its unfortunate but it passion can only get you so far sometimes.

we have to be realistic in the fact that the limerick parade will never be like the dublin parade but it could definately be better.
maybe the events management students at LIT (is that a course there or am i making stuff up? ) could be involved in it as one of their major projects or something. mutually beneficial to all parties.

sioda

Ellen I believe that you have nailed it here that the money to put on a massive parade isn't there.

From being on the periiphery of a few parade organisations it is a chaotic thing a the best of times.

Poxyshamrock

I'm not looking the dublin parade I think they should just stop switching organisers, one years its 8 ball the next it's futureama. Who next year?

daithicarr

Limerick really seem to lack a group to organise these sort of street performances. Look at galway for example a smaller city with much better street performances. a street performance group on the caliber or even half the caliber of Macnas would be wonderful.

They should make a proper festival out of it. surely if it was good enough it could draw tourists and then be worth some sort of funding.

but not only the saint patricks day parade, limerick really has no festival of its own, say like galways macnas parade, cork jazz festival etc.

The river fest was a promising start, but didnt seem to have too much to do with the River and could have been substantially better.

maybe something like a Halloween/Samhain festival ?

Tinytony

daithicarr wrote: »

maybe something like a Halloween/Samhain festival ?

Good idea but i think that may be the same weekend as the cork Jazz festival? That's usually on the end of October anyways. The bands festival sounds good for the May bank holiday weekend, if there are lots of other events organised around the city during the day that the weekend it could really take off.