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By Michelle Crean

Many of the town’s famous landmarks will be turning green this St Patrick’s Day - including Killarney courthouse for the first time.

An exciting weekend of activities is planned in the community as the St Patrick’s Day committee have been beavering hard behind the scenes to make it one to remember.

A family fun zone will take over the New Street car park until Monday, with bouncy castles, face painting, kiddies disco and much more.

The highlight of the weekend however will be the parade which will assemble on Mission Road. Then it will begin at 2pm up Mission Road towards the Plaza, around Kenmare Place, East Avenue Road, Fair Hill, College Street, Plunkett Street, Main Street, New Street, Beech Road, into Beech Road car park.

On the day there will also be pre-parade entertainment on Main Street with Padraig Buckley and Killarney School of Music and kids can meet the Disney characters around town. Circus workshops and Brickx Club are also available at Beech Road Lower car park.

“The festival is shaping up to be a huge community event culminating in a celebration of Killarney, the circus - ‘The Greatest Show’,” Chairperson Paul Sherry said.

“The committee are delighted that two travelling bands are registered. One marching group from our twinned town Pleinfeld will be joining the festivities and another from Ochsenhausen in Germany. This group will consist of 40 participants and some members of the group are employees of Liebherr in Germany.”

He said that they aredelighted with the level of interest and interaction with a host of community groups and sporting groups.

“We would encourage everyone to get out early on the day of the parade and join in what will be a spectacle for the whole family.”

In consultation with the County Council and the Gardai the committee have drawn up a full safety strategy and traffic management plan for the parade. The committee advise that the parade floats and vehicles have to arrive at Mission Road from Port Road and Cathedral Place side. Traffic will not be allowed to travel down Mission Road towards the cathedral.

Post-parade collection point for children is the Beech Road car park Lower at the bottle bank area. The organisers have requested that all parents and children enter the fun zone collection point area as quickly as possible from parade for safety when they reach the route end.

Extra free parking facilities have been included at Penney’s car park, Hilliard House, St Brendan’s College Secondary School and The Community College, New Road.