A glimpse from Grace: St. Patrick’s Day parade in Cork

By GRACE WAGNER

Associate Editor

For St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland, forget green dyed beer, tacky shamrock suspenders and fake ginger beards. Okay, well, it still happens, but it has never been the main focus of the celebration.

As a UMW student studying abroad in Cork, Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day has been an event I have been looking forward to for quite some time.

Each Irish city, town and small village participates in community gatherings and parades to celebrate the day. In Cork city, where I have spent St. Patrick’s Day as well as the last three months, the community put together their 124th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The theme this year was Marsh, Myth and Magic and the parade marchers did not disappoint.

Corkonians wore handmade costumes to appear as local wildlife found in the marshes, like otters, herons, fish and more. There were floats dedicated to Cork’s history as a port city, with pirate ships and row boats. Irish traditional music was played through the streets of Cork by high school marching bands and large community bands. Children wore hats and masks made of straw to showcase Ireland’s Pagan roots.

Different community groups, like the Cork Puppetry Company and the Cork Community Art Link, showcased their craftsmanship in handmade creations for the parade viewers. The Cork LGBT+ group had by far the largest flag of the celebration and a huge welcome from a massive group of women drummers. By far the cutest component of the parade were the grand marshals, the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Cork wouldn’t be Cork without its vast international presence and the largest section of the parade was focused on them. Many different countries from around the world, including China, Poland, Ethiopia, Brazil and more, were highlighted by their communities in Cork with beautifully decorated banners, music and dancing, massive flags and traditional clothing being worn.

However, the celebration didn’t just start on March 17. On Feb. 1, Ireland’s St. Brigid’s Day and the first day of spring, the locals became giddy over the bettering weather and preparing for the upcoming parade. I’ve had friends in different countries planning trips to Ireland for this special day for months and heard whispers of St. Patrick’s Day plans ever since my arrival in January. Even mother nature knew the significance of this day, waiting until the last float crossed the finish line to start a deluge of rain.

The celebration didn’t end with the rain, however. The wet weather had locals packed like sardines into pubs to continue the festivities while trying their best to avoid the tourists. Traditional bands brought their instruments into what seemed like every pub in a three-mile radius, with songs spilling out onto the streets. Riverdancers skipped from pub to pub to show off their signature moves.

The festivities continued late into the night here in Cork and remnants of the holiday still remain in the days after with green confetti and a few leprechaun hats littering the city streets. The tourists are making their way out of Ireland, but the spirits of the locals and long-time visitors, like myself, are far from gone.

In my time here, I feel as though every week has been something to celebrate. Whether it is a local Gaelic Football club taking home a trophy, Cillian Murphy returning home to Cork, or even just a full day of no rain, this small city turns on its charm and gives me something to cheer for.

Cork’s St. Patrick’s Day parade did not disappoint and neither has my time here in Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day has been such a wonderful way to celebrate during my study abroad and I know I will be looking back on my time here very fondly. I have had an exceptional time in Cork and could not recommend a better place to spend your next St. Patrick’s Day.