CITY AND COUNTY PREPARE FOR ST PATRICKS DAY FESTIVITIES

Date Published: 16-Mar-2010

Sterling Schools Pipe Band, traditional musicians and dancers from twin town Lorient.

Those are just some of the acts that will be descending on the streets of the city as part of the St Patrick's Day festivities tomorrow.

At half 12 tomorrow afternoon, the wheels of this year's Galway parade will start rolling from its starting point at Fr Griffin Road.

It will pass through Dominick Street and cross O'Brien's Bridge before snaking its way up Shop Street and finishing at Eyre Square.

Afterwards, the climax of a 1600 kilometre relay-run around Ireland to promote the Irish language will take place from a reviewing stand in the Square.

A secret message from President Mary McAleese will be read out to the crowd as Gaeilge.

In the county, the Athenry parade will begin from the Railway Crossing after half 11 mass tomorrow morning.

It finishes at Bridge Street and takes in Church Street, Old Church Street, Clarke Street, Cross Street and the Square along the way.

Mountbellew's first ever parade will take place in the Square after 12 mass while Abbeyknockmoy's parade begins at half 12.

At quarter to one, a parade will leave from Church Street in Gort with a special display by the local fire service.

Both the Glenamaddy and Loughrea parades kick off at 1 o'Clock.

The Glenamaddy parade departs from the community centre while Station Road is the departure point for Loughrea's parade.

It will follow the route through Main Street, finishing at the Court House in the Fair Green.

The Killererin St Patrick's Day Parade has a slightly later departure time - it kicks off at quarter past two in the afternoon.