Former Person of the Year named Grand Marshal for Kilkenny's St Patrick’s Day Parade

St Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny has named well-known local personality George Candler as the Grand Marshal for the upcoming St Patrick’s Day Parade.

Mr Candler is no stranger to the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, having served as the Master of Ceremonies for Kilkenny’s national celebration for several decades. In recognition of his contribution to Kilkenny and local life, Kilkenny County Council is proud to offer Candler the coveted leading role in this year’s proceedings.

A former recipient of the Person of the Year award, George Candler is a highly respected local livestock auctioneer. His stellar reputation and expertise in cattle, sheep, horse and pedigree livestock sales were built over nearly 55 years in the agricultural mart sector, earning him national recognition.

Originally from County Roscommon, where his father was the founding chairman of Roscommon Mart in 1959, Candler moved to Kilkenny in 1972 as a trainee auctioneer.

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He quickly became immersed in local life, joining the Friary Folk Choir, later the Kilkenny Gospel Choir and Kilkenny Musical Society, as well as Kilkenny Rugby Football Club, where he played and coached for many years. He has been a member of the Kilkenny Lions Club for over 30 years, has given his time to multiple local fundraisers, and was honoured with a Humanitarian Award.

Professionally, he faced many challenges, including the 2001 Foot-and-Mouth crisis, declining livestock numbers, and the digitisation of sales systems over the years. In his personal life, Candler shared his cancer diagnosis in 2017 and became an advocate for men’s health and a supporter of the Relay for Life cancer charity locally. Thankfully, Candler is in full health today.

Candler brings a unique perspective to the St Patrick’s Day Parade, having stood centre stage as MC for more than 30 years. He said he was ‘flabbergasted’ to be asked.

"Well, it’s a great honour, and Kilkenny is a special place for me, and it’s a nice thing to be asked;  so I said yes." Grand Marshal, George Candler, told Kilkenny Live.

Reflecting on changes to the Parade over the years, he said, "There’s far more work and creativity going into the floats now than there would have been in the past. Years ago, you might have had tractors, fire brigades or ambulances taking part, but today you see such imaginative designs, people in costume, and walking floats, with groups really adding their own flair and ideas. There’s a strong creative element, and I’ve no doubt we’ll see a few topical themes this St Patrick’s weekend!

"The days of a tractor and trailer with someone sitting on a bale of straw are gone. The parade has improved enormously and, in my view, it’s now one of the best in the southeast. Maybe I’m a little biased, but the development of it over the years has been remarkable."

Festival Chairperson, Cllr. John Coonan, Mayor of Kilkenny City, commented, "We are honoured that George Candler will lead this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade in Kilkenny. George is a hugely respected figure in the community, with a long-standing connection to the parade and its traditions. He brings a wonderful combination of experience, sharp wit and good humour to the role, and I know he will add greatly to what promises to be a fantastic celebration.

"We are all looking forward to Tuesday, March 17 and to welcoming the people of Kilkenny, along with visitors from near and far, to enjoy the vibrant programme of events we have planned."

Edward Hayden and Aisling McDonald, will MC the Parade this March, stepping into the role established by the formidable George Candler, for one year only.

The parade will take place on Tuesday, March 17 at 1.30 pm, weaving through Kilkenny’s medieval streets. This year’s theme, "Together – Le Chéile", celebrates the local community, with colourful floats, local clubs and businesses, stilt walkers, puppeteers, theatrics, music, colour and pageantry.

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