Parade

Aerohead

Dont know what people thought of the parade on Sunday but come on 70 walking groups, whats happened to Galway no American bands no floats and no Imagination for attracting people, sure parents and friends will turn out to see their children and friends but when you look at parades that were in Galway years ago its gone totally downhill.

biko

Aye, it's pretty bog standard compared to larger cities. Nice day out still.

gifted

The parade in Oranmore was pretty awful. full of school children marching, nothing else.

Chicken1

Have to agree with the OP it was pathetic, in fairness it should not be called a parade its just a walk through town in groups.

Seaneh

Chicken1 wrote: »

it should not be called a parade its just a walk through town in groups.

Parade:
Noun
A public procession.

Verb
Walk or march in public in a formal procession or in an ostentatious or attention-seeking way.

biko

I've been to parades in towns where it was just the local school kids with some tin whistling and a few tractors.
If you want the massive floats and that you really need to go to NYC or Boston.

Storm 10

Biko I dont know if you remember Galway St Patricks day parades in the 1980s and 1990s they used to have major floats from all the factories and resident groups in Galway and lots of American bands, the Fire service, Army, Ambulance and rescue services etc also took part, they were fantastic parades and great efforts were put into the floats, it was like a Macnas parade full of music and color.

Today as has been said its a walking parade with no excitement .

PauricTheLodger

Storm 10 wrote: »

Biko I dont know if you remember Galway St Patricks day parades in the 1980s and 1990s they used to have major floats from all the factories and resident groups in Galway and lots of American bands, the Fire service, Army, Ambulance and rescue services etc also took part, they were fantastic parades and great efforts were put into the floats, it was like a Macnas parade full of music and color.

Today as has been said its a walking parade with no excitement .

Macnas worked outside the country this year (perhaps because it pays?) and I don't think call centers pay as much attention to being part of the community as the old factories did =P

The various civil services don't have a parade budget anymore and I doubt the members are as proud or willing to be involved outside the meagre hours they're getting.

Having grown up on the aforementioned tin whistle and tractor parades, I slept through it like every other year since I wasn't dragged out to it.

/eeyore

jamesdiver

Aerohead wrote: »

Dont know what people thought of the parade on Sunday but come on 70 walking groups, whats happened to Galway no American bands no floats and no Imagination for attracting people, sure parents and friends will turn out to see their children and friends but when you look at parades that were in Galway years ago its gone totally downhill.

And what did you do to contribute to the parade.

Aerohead

jamesdiver wrote: »

And what did you do to contribute to the parade.

Turned out to watch it, was that not good enough

jamesdiver

Why didnt you invite a group to the parade, or form one yourself. You're quick to criticise, but its a community effort.

gifted

jamesdiver wrote: »

Why didnt you invite a group to the parade, or form one yourself. You're quick to criticise, but its a community effort.

that's a bit unfair, aerohead is entitled to his opinion the same as the rest of us

jamesdiver

I agree to that; but I'm making a simple point that we can all complain about the quality of something, but no one wants any responsibility to chip in and help out, like all the 'walking groups' tried to do. If you're that bothered with it to create a thread online, get yourself onto the organising committee and do something positive.

snubbleste

I agree with ye jamesdiver.
OP, start something now for the next parade and stop whining about the quality of it!

dinneenp

Chicken1 wrote: »

Have to agree with the OP it was pathetic, in fairness it should not be called a parade its just a walk through town in groups.

NY parade is ONLY people walking, still a parade.

swiftman

jamesdiver wrote: »

I agree to that; but I'm making a simple point that we can all complain about the quality of something, but no one wants any responsibility to chip in and help out, like all the 'walking groups' tried to do. If you're that bothered with it to create a thread online, get yourself onto the organising committee and do something positive.

im unhappy with the way bus eireann is ran as a company.

should i be a bus driver?

jamesdiver

swiftman wrote: »

im unhappy with the way bus eireann is ran as a company.

should i be a bus driver?

You're comparing Bus Eireann to the Galway parade. Marks for imagination.

BhoscaCapall

It's for children anyway isn't it? I've never really seen a St Patrick's Day parade I've enjoyed be it in Galway, Manchester, London, Dublin. Most of them are just basically walking adverts for various businesses, and these days they all seem to have some Polish/Nigerian/etc floats shoe-horned in. I enjoy these cultures too but it just smacks of political correctness/western guilt. It's supposed to be a celebration of Irish culture.

pleasant Co.

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

It's for children anyway isn't it? I've never really seen a St Patrick's Day parade I've enjoyed be it in Galway, Manchester, London, Dublin. Most of them are just basically walking adverts for various businesses, and these days they all seem to have some Polish/Nigerian/etc floats shoe-horned in. I enjoy these cultures too but it just smacks of political correctness/western guilt. It's supposed to be a celebration of Irish culture.

If that's what it's supposed to be then I guess they're celebrating new-irish culture too

BhoscaCapall

pleasant Co. wrote: »

If that's what it's supposed to be then I guess they're celebrating new-irish culture too

It's a shame really. We should be encouraging/celebrating the co-existence of several cultures in parallel, not pretending they're all the same. It's this sort of pandering that actually encourages ignorant people to be racist. But that's a bit of a dark tangent to be dragging this thread toward.

swine

Speaking as someone who participated in the parade, to suggest it was 70 groups walking is more than a little disingenuous. Yes, it could do with some quality control and better planning but some groups spend time, money and effort to contribute something. Perhaps the OP should stay at home to watch the Dublin parade on TV or don some rose tinted spectacles to remember how spectacular it was years ago.

Gambas

It was poorer than usual, IMO. I've brought the kids for the past few years, and this year it made no impression on them. They watched it, then went home. Never mentioned it again all day. But swine is right, there was never some golden age of Patricks day parades. I'd question how much effort really goes into it though. Some, like the school bands obviously worked hard for it, but most did little barring dress themselves and walk up the town. The Westside ROI Supporters Club were so bad they almost provided entertainment.

Amik

Gambas wrote: »

They watched it, then went home. Never mentioned it again all day.

HAhah That's exactly how my kids reacted, too. ) It was very poor this year, needed a dozen or more floats of the same caliber as that Jim Larkin one. Nothing else gave us that "Wow, that's cool!" feeling. Did I miss the Blue Teapot Theatre entry? They always put on a great show but don't recall seeing them (arrived a few minutes late).

I hate how groups rehash the same thing over and over, like the Coyotes sheriff. Heard lots of overseas accents among the spectators, it's worth doing a good job on the parade to attract tourists.

Great video of Sunday's parade here:

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2013/03/19/you-may-like-this-91/

Mrs OBumble

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

It's supposed to be a celebration of Irish culture.

Is that Irish culture before or after the arrival of the Vikings, St Patrick/Christianity, the Normans, etc?

BhoscaCapall

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Is that Irish culture before or after the arrival of the Vikings, St Patrick/Christianity, the Normans, etc?

After. Have to draw the line somewhere or there'd be people demanding a dinosaur float.

Lapin

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Is that Irish culture before or after the arrival of the Vikings, St Patrick/Christianity, the Normans, etc?

Having a St Patrick's Day Parade before the arrival of St Patrick would be some achivement.

Mrs OBumble

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

After. Have to draw the line somewhere or there'd be people demanding a dinosaur float.

So .. Irish culture after the Normans, but before the inward migration of the early 21st century. Or should that be before some other key point - maybe before the Pope's visit in 79? Or ...?

You can see the problem with wanting the culture to just stop, can't you?

Dan_Solo

Storm 10 wrote: »

Biko I dont know if you remember Galway St Patricks day parades in the 1980s and 1990s they used to have major floats from all the factories and resident groups in Galway and lots of American bands, the Fire service, Army, Ambulance and rescue services etc also took part, they were fantastic parades and great efforts were put into the floats, it was like a Macnas parade full of music and color.

There used to be loads more free sweets too.:D

TBH I could've gone home after yer man with the banjo who was quite good. Wouldn't have missed much.

Grimebox

The guy on the mic at the seating area / stand at Eyre square needed to shut the **** up. Other than that it was exactly what I expected

Dan_Solo

Funny how we have people demanding more "Irish" culture in a St Patrick's Day parade when the guy himself was supposedly from Cumbria.

fishy fishy

it was always just the march of the blue legs - girl guides with blue legs, school bands with blue legs, local kids groups with blue legs. I'm sure this year was no different, except the legs might be bluer than usual. :P

oceanpirate

How about getting some of the Great Band's and Musicians To play a concert in the Square after the parade. ?
The Power's that be in City Hall have no problem letting the Square be used at Christmas for Profit.?

BhoscaCapall

Dan_Solo wrote: »

Funny how we have people demanding more "Irish" culture in a St Patrick's Day parade when the guy himself was supposedly from Cumbria.

I thought he was Welsh? Anyway no, it's not funny. Where St Patrick was from is irrelevant, the day is a celebration of Irish culture. If there was a parade for Polish Constitution Day on May 3rd, I would think it silly if there were floats of Irish trad music and people dancing around waving tricolours.

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So .. Irish culture after the Normans, but before the inward migration of the early 21st century. Or should that be before some other key point - maybe before the Pope's visit in 79? Or ...?

You can see the problem with wanting the culture to just stop, can't you?

You seem incapable of understanding my point here.

Dan_Solo

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

the day is a celebration of Irish culture.

I must look up the St Patrick's Day rulebook for that bit. Do you have a copy handy?

inisboffin

Isn't 17th supposedly it the day he died?
Surely we should be having a good snakey pagan hoolie then?

Oh wait! That's what a load of do people anyway

Greaney

This has been the complaint about Galway parades for years. In the late 80's & 90's, after a few marching bands and a hurling club or scout group, it was just businesses driving their fleet down the road... and that was it! Dreadful stuff. Some folks used to complain that Macnas had an obligation to enter. They did do some outreach to small community village parades in the early noughties.

I have a theory that a few 'real' prizes and some fair judging might spur a bit of efford!! As someone who's done heaps of parades both as a performer and an arts facilatator, they're really hard work to make something even modest, if you want the wow factor, you gotta pay big, and I'm under the impression no company is willing to do that.

BhoscaCapall

Dan_Solo wrote: »

I must look up the St Patrick's Day rulebook for that bit. Do you have a copy handy?

No but if you just go outside and talk to any normal person I'm sure they can provide you with an answer, common knowledge and all. Best of luck!

G Power

do you people not realise we're 5 years into a recession and maybe only now are we seeing the full destructive force it is on society. All credit to those who took part but I thought this years parade was pure crap, no real crowd enthusiasm and it was the same last year too.

I don't think most people realise it but we haven't got much to celebrating about at the moment but maybe it was completely evident in the lack of imagination or get up and go in either the spectators and subsequently the participants.

I was haunted all day at how contrasting this years parade was compared to pre 2008.

that is all

Dan_Solo

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

No but if you just go outside and talk to any normal person I'm sure they can provide you with an answer, common knowledge and all. Best of luck!

And who decides who is "normal"? You by any chance?
Like Dunphy used to say, once you remove all the nutcases and idiots, you'll find almost everybody agrees with me.
Do you need luck yourself when asking people simple questions? Why am I not surprised...

BhoscaCapall

Dan_Solo wrote: »

And who decides who is "normal"?

How profound. Maybe it would help if I offered some synonyms such as 'typical', 'standard', 'common', 'expected'. These aren't big words really, not sure where the confusion has arisen.

Do you need luck yourself when asking people simple questions? Why am I not surprised...

Depends how simple the people I'm asking are. Consider the fact you are trying to patronise me immediately after failing to grasp a simple definition.

biko

cough

Mrs OBumble

G Power wrote: »

do you people not realise we're 5 years into a recession and maybe only now are we seeing the full destructive force it is on society. All credit to those who took part but I thought this years parade was pure crap, no real crowd enthusiasm and it was the same last year too.

I don't think most people realise it but we haven't got much to celebrating about at the moment but maybe it was completely evident in the lack of imagination or get up and go in either the spectators and subsequently the participants.

I was haunted all day at how contrasting this years parade was compared to pre 2008.

that is all

You really think that it had nothing to do with the weather on the day? I remember getting sunburnt at the parade in 2009, whereas my partner said he was wet and cold at this year's one. (I wasn't there.)

I'd say that Galway, anyway, has a lot to celebrate. Unemployement is nothing like as bad as it was in 2009, several new multi-nationals have set up offices here and others have explanded, and the multiplier effect of the wages from these companies means that lots of other businesses are benefiting.