Tens of thousands of people will turn out again this year to line the route of the St Patrick’s Day Parade and to revel in the party atmosphere and join in the celebrations.

The Irish World Heritage Centre held their first St Patrick’s Day Parade on the 17th March 1990 when the Members paraded to St Chad’s Church and attended a Mass celebrated by Fr. McGarry before returning to the Centre. It is interesting to note that at that parade the County Longford Association were the first to display a parade banner.

The following year, in 1991, the parade route was extended and went around the roundabout at the end of Cheetham Hill Road. It was in our third year, 1992, that the St. Patrick’s Day Parade was extended as far as Albert Square for the first time, where it was reviewed by the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Cllr. Billy Egerton.

In March 1993 the parade went again to Manchester Town Hall, but this time it was lead by the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Cllr. Bill Risby, who was accompanied by the Mayors of Trafford and Salford.

Over the years we have had members of the Irish Government walk with us including An Taoiseach Bertie Aherne and Ministers, Brendan Smith and John O’Donoghue. We have continued to follow the route from the Irish World Heritage Centre to Manchester Town Hall and back again each year.

The parade features as a major part of the Manchester Irish Festival, and each year is preceded by Mass in Gaelic at the irish World Heritage Centre. Fr. John Ahern, the well known Kerry Priest, has officiated at 18 of those Masses and will be officiating once again this year.

The Parade is very much a community based event with participants of all ages. Bands, floats and banners represent all the Counties of Ireland, the GAA, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the Rose of Tralee, dancing schools and many more Community organisations.

This years parade is likely to be the last to leave from outside the current Irish World Heritage Centre as building has commenced on the new iconic Irish World Heritage Centre, just a hundred metres down Queens Road. We are very excited about the prospect of next year’s parade departing from the new Irish World Heritage Centre.

There is currently a photographic exhibition on display at the Irish World Heritage Centre which document 20 years of the Manchester St. Patrick’s Day Parade. For further information on the parade or the exhibition please call 0161 205 4007.

This years parade will be held on Sunday 11th March 2012, leaving the Irish World Heritage Centre at 11:30am

10 Queens Road
Cheetham Hill
Manchester
M8 8UF

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