Making their way to the start of Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in their buggy were: Tomás McDonough (left) Alex, Luke and Eddie Regan. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Denise Horan (left) and Sheilann Egan leading the Scoil Íde, Curranes group at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Helen Griffin (left) pictured with: Kevin Fewtrill and Anette O’Connor from the Second Chance Charity Shop as they headed to the start of Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Helen Murnane from Lixnaw pictured with her vintage car at the start of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
A Pizza the action: Den Joe and A.J. O’Connor setting out to the start of the parade in their Apache Pizza delivery trike on Tuesday. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Sitting on the Bridge Below the Town: Injured Desmonds player, Niall Mitchell watching the passing parade from Tralee Road bridge on Tuesday. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Sheila Horan of Horan’s Wedding Cars, Ballymacelligott setting out on Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Seán Daly was well rigged out for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: john Reidy
Bob O’Brien enjoying the fine weather before the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland on Tuesday. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Musicians: Nicky McAuliffe, Charlie Nelligan, Denis O’Connor, Paddy Jones and Anne McAuliffe waiting for the Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival float at Tuesday’s parade. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Aaron O’Mahony pictured with his mom Kate Shanahan at the start of Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Horan’s Wedding Cars, Ballymacelligott were well represented at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Joe Martin looking the part as Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade gets under way in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Eileen and Mary Riordan with: Kate, Ché and Eibhlín heading off to catch the start of Castleisland St. Patrick’s Day Parade. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Tuesday was the ideal day on which to hold an outdoor event. If praying for fine weather is your thing then Tuesday’s weather was the answer to many prayers.
Temperatures well well up into the teens and the bitingly, cold breeze that dominated the morning disappeared as the day wore on.
There are people here who are convinced that Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade was the biggest ever and it is hard to go against the view.
The weather theory had an awful lot going for it as the forecast was good in the days leading up to the parade. That, in itself, was enough to convince people to get out and about.
The support of the neighboring villages for the parade was outstanding again this year. There was a special cheer for Brosna GAA Club and their collection of cups – including the All-Ireland Junior Championship Cup.
The organisers were busily lapping up the praise and thanks of the locals for their efforts in putting the show on the streets and they had the town looking its finest ever.
Down at the River Island Hotel, Mrs. Mai O’Donoghue was quietly celebrating her 97th birthday with her daughters, Doris Coffey and Noreen Ring and with her Killarney Road neighbour, Mrs. Philomena Jameson.
The pubs in the area did a roaring trade all day long and there was much talk of the benefits of days like this for the economy of the town.
There is huge credit due to the handful of volunteers who pull the whole thing together. It’s the pre-planning and preparation put in by the likes of John Skevena O’Sullivan, Charlie Farrelly, Ted Kenny, John Lynch, Timmy Murphy, Willie and Bill Reidy, Martin Conway and Wilsie King that carries the whole thing off so smoothly.
Not too many people will tell them to their faces but they’re being praised to high heavens since Tuesday’s magnificent turn-out. There are people even crediting them with the way the weather behaved on the day.
Mary Horan pictured with her grand-daughter, Saoirse and Saoirse’s mom, Coleen McMahon watching Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade at Tralee Road. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Michael Conway sporting a decent sprig of Shamrock as he watches Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Watching the parade at Tralee Road on Tuesday were: Cateriona Hill with her aunt Eilish Conway and grand-dad, Michael Conway and Casper. ©Photograph: John Reidy
The wearing of the Green: Mary Murphy from Knocknagoshel in appropriate colours for the day at Tralee Road. ©Photograph: John Reidy
One Man and his Dog: Jimmy Brosnan, Cordal and Spark are greeted with smiles from the crowd as they took part in the 2015 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
All vantage points were availed of at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
The vintage car section of the parade is always a popular draw at the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Great support from the neighbouring villages at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Kate Klekoienska and her per ‘Jerry’ were spectators at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Catherine Broderick and her daughter Úna enjoying the fine weather and the atmosphere at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Cormac O’Mahony with his always imaginative float at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
The hot topic of the Irish Water Charges on Cormac O’Mahony’s float at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Pádraig and Donal Brosnan from Lyreacrompane with their Brosnan Motorsport float at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Beth Carty (left) and Josie Fallon leading the Castleisland Active Retirement group at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Johnny O’Connor, Cordal wearing the traditional bunch of Shamrock at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Voilet Feehan (left) and her friend, Marta Bobrowska at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
A group of revellers enjoying the parade and the fine weather outside Kearney’s Bar during Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Brosna GAA Club took up an invitation to parade their silverware at Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Castleisland’s Main Street is thronged during Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Paul Reese meets Sonny David Keane and mom Maggie Prendiville when they visited Sheila Prendivilles during Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Willie Leane (left) and David ‘Dauber’ Prendiville pictured during a social visit to the closed Sheila Prendiville’s during Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Jennifer and Garda Denis O’Mahony pictured with their children Lauren and Ronan At the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Castleisland on Tuesday afternoon. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Moss Reidy and his son Tom enjoying the atmosphere at the parade in Castleisland on Tuesday. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Mrs. Mai O’Donoghue (seated left) celebrated her 97th birthday on St. Patrick’s Day with her daughters, Doris Coffey (left) and Noreen Ring with Killarney Road neighbour and friend, Mrs. Philomena Jameson at the River Island Hotel on Tuesday. ©Photograph: John Reidy
