News
Volunteers are crucial to festival’s success
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SO I WONDER if St Patrick landed outside the Fitzgerald Stadium at 2pm on March 17, would he be bemused or amused by the sight of a population dressed in head to toe in a sea of green, shaking hands and wishing each other a Lá Féile Pádraig and the blessings of St Patrick! Well, whatever his reaction would be it is definite that he would be in total awe for all the work that happens behind the scenes to make this day a memorable one for all!
The work being done by the St Patrick's Day is not just commendable but heroic at times. Everyone on the committee and sub committees work on a totally voluntary basis, with their only aim being to make the festivities of the day enjoyable, exciting and safe for everyone involved.
The committee started preparing for St Patrick's Day 2017 last March after St Patrick's Day 2016!
They meet on a regular basis and then from September to November worked on coming up with the theme for this year – Diversity, which is a perfect theme to incorporate our ever changing, wonderful society.
This year has been particularly challenging as due to works on Plunkett Street, the parade had to be rerouted. Thanks to the help of the Fitzgerald Stadium committee, the problem has been solved and the parade now has a new starting point at the stadium.
SuperValu has come on board this year also to sponsor prizes for winners of various categories.
To calculate the number of voluntary hours that this committee have clocked up would be like asking how long is a piece of string as it is an ongoing project that never leaves your brain once you're hooked!
So here's to the volunteers and participants in the parade in our community, we applaud you, we admire you and we thank you.......and we think St Patrick would too!
Annmarie Kennelly, chairperson, St Patrick’s Festival, with John Lenihan, events co-ordinator, Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, who is ready and waiting for all the parade participants to descend in the stadium grounds on St Patrick’s Day for the Killarney’s parade. PICTURE: VALERIE O'SULLIVAN