This year’s St Patrick’s Festival on Tuesday March 17 has been jointly organized by Newry and Mourne District Council and Newry City Centre Management and the emphasis on this year’s celebrations will be “Celebrating Friendships in the Community”. The fun will commence with the St Patrick’s Day parade at 12 noon at the Quays Shopping Centre travelling onto Buttercrane Quay, Francis Street, Patrick Street. Monaghan Street, Merchant’s Quay, Sugar Island, Kildare Street and finishing in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter in Hill Street. The street parade is the focal part of the day’s celebrations and promises to have a carnival atmosphere and a showcase event with something for everyone. The parade will be led by Mayor Daire Hughes accompanied by Autism Mums and followed by an array of parade entertainment including a cavalcade of floats, walking participants, marching bands, stilt walkers, balloon modeling, mix and mingle of street theatre, juggling and uni-cycling with an abundance of cartoon characters.
Events Space
The entertainment will continue to the main Events Space in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter in Hill Street with compere Gene Fitzpatrick who will ensure that all visitors on the day will leave their sides sore with laughter as he introduces various well known acts during the day. There will also be street trading and charity stalls on Hill Street selling all sorts of weird and wonderful goods and Cullen’s Funfair will be located at St Christopher’s Park from Thursday March 12 to Tuesday March 17.
Open Air Concert
Playing at the Events Space during the afternoon will be, The Nooks, Aidan Quinn and The Ramblin Men, Philomena Begley and Ray Lynam.
Newry Variety Market
The Market will be a hive of activity with Autism Mums hosting the St Patrick’s Day Market Fayre with entertainment commencing at 12 noon while the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre will the be the setting of traditional music and children’s entertainment. At Newry and Mourne Museum there will be a varied programme of activities for all over the St Patrick’s Weekend commencing on Thursday March 12 with events through to and including St Patrick’s Day.
Seachtain na Gaeilge
From March 1 through to March 17, Newry and Mourne District Council’s Irish Language Unit is hosting fringe events for local Irish Language community and other Irish speakers as part as ‘Seachtain na Gaeilge 2015’. For more information contact the Irish Language Unit on 028 30313 258.
Interdenominational Ecumenical Service
As part of the St Patrick’s Day Celebrations on behalf of Rev Canon Francis and Rev Kingsley Sutton the community is invited to attend an ‘Interdenominational Ecumenical Service’ on Wednesday at 11.30am in Newry Cathedral, Hill Street Newry.
To find out more information about forthcoming events/ promotions in Newry City visit www.newry.com or check out the Cathedral Quarter and Creamery Quarter Facebook pages or say hello on Twitter@Hello_Newry.
Newry Reporter
4th March 20015
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