Date Published: 17-Mar-2012

Hundreds of local community, business and voluntary groups are preparing to assemble across the city and county for this year’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

The first of many parades kicks off in Galway city later this morning [Mar 17] at a new start time of 11.30, following talks with city centre businesses.

To the county now and festivities begin at St Patrick’s Monastery in Esker in Athenry where the feast of the monastery’s patron will be celebrated with a celtic mass involving Irish music and dance at 11am.

This will be followed by a parade at 11.45 from the train station in the town with over 20-30 groups.

The next of the county parade’s get underway in Dunmore at 12.30 and in Abbeyknockmoy at 12.30 outside Mannion’s Bar with over 30 floats and groups assembling at Treacy’s carpark.

Gort natives now living abroad will get a chance to view the town parade which will be broadcast by organisers live online- It gets underway at 12.45 from Church Street.

Headford parade participants will also take to the streets at 12.45 from the GAA pitch through Bridge Street, on to the Square and finishing on High Street.

"Keeping it local" is the theme for this year’s parade in Loughrea which begins at 1 this afternoon from Station Road.

In Glenamaddy, the parade gets underway at 1 with participants gathering at the Community Centre beforehand.

Portumna holds its parade at 1 from the mart at Dominick Street while the Clifden and Oughterard parades also have a 1pm lunchtime start.

Moycullen will launch its inaugural parade this year at 2pm with 60 floats setting out from Morans Hardware.

25 groups will take to the streets for the Tuam parade which also gets underway at 2pm.

One of the final parades of the day takes in Roundstone – it gets underway at 2.30.

It’s followed by Oranmore where 40 floats will take part in the "Summer of Sport" themed event at 3.30pm.

In Ballinasloe, the St Patrick’s Day parade takes place tomorrow Sunday at 2pm when groups will compete in a variety of categories including cultural, voluntary, sport and commerce.