St Patrick’s Day parades are underway across the country with people braving the weather conditions to enjoy themselves.
Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered to celebrate the day.
The Sligo parade started at 12 noon, Enniscrone kicked off at 1:30, Grange & Ballyshannon at 2pm, Riverstown at 2:30, Killybegs & Donegal Town at 3pm, Ballymote at 3:30pm, Dromahair at 4:30pm, Manorhamilton at 5pm and the Drumkerrin parade at 6:30pm.
UPDATE: 17:15
The parade in Ballymote has come to a close and Ocean FM’s Joh Ryan has the details:
UPDATE: 16:55
And we have the winners of the Bundoran parade with Marion Fitzgerald.
UPDATE: 16:40
Harry Keaney was reporting from the Ballymote parade where he got talking to Harry Kings who is the Chairperson of the Riverstown St. Patrick’s Day Parade
UPDATE: 16:30
Marion Fitzgerald is reporting from the Bundoran parade where there is a number of bands taking part.
UPDATE: 16:10
54 Floats are taking part in the Ballymote parade when Ocean FM’s John Ryan is reporting from.
UPDATE: 15:40
The winners of the Sligo parade have been announced and Ocean FM can exclusively reveal the winners:
Overall Winner: Filipino Association of Sligo
Industrial & Commercial: O’Hares
Best Sports Theme: Sligo Rowing Club
Arts & Culture Award: The Indian Association
Youth Award: Lisa Cooper School Academy
Martial Arts: Hong Ying Matrial Arts
Scout Award: 10t Sligo Scouts
School Cup: Ursuline College Sligo
Community Award: ITSligo
Adjudicator Award: Love Leitrim & Friends of the Earth Group
Novelty Award: Youth Reach Group
Special Award: Sligo Woodlands School
Local Band: Ballinacarrow National School
Overall Band: Augharonan Pipe Band
National School Award: Gaelscoil Sligo
Highly Commended: Silver Star Cheerleaders
Niall Delaney has the full list of winners:
UPDATE: 15:20
Margaret Carr Flynn is in Donegal Town, where the parade got underway at 3pm. Themes are ranging from “Star Wars” to “Donegal: The Coolest County In Ireland”
UPDATE: 14:50
Eugene McHale was at the Grange Parade, where there was also a very large turnout with people enjoying themselves despite the weather.
UPDATE: 14:35
The Parade in Ballyshannon began at 2pm and Ocean FM’s Daniel Browne is reporting from it. the weather has not been great across the region today, but that hasn’t stopped people from coming out and enjoying themselves
UPDATE: 14:15
The Sligo Parade finished up just before 2pm today to great success. Initial reports are suggesting that it was the biggest parade in Sligo for a number of years. Despite the bad weather, a huge turnout enjoyed the day. 76 floats took part in total taking an hour and 10 minutes to make it’s way around the route.
Ocean FM’s Niall Delaney has more.
UPDATE: 14:00
Ocean FM’s Harry Keaney gives us an update on what to expect at the Riverstown parade which is due to start at half past 2
