Gallery: Awards for St Patrick's Parade top entries!

Scroll down to read on and click NEXT to see all the photographs from the awards ceremony

All photographs by Vicky Comerford

A gala presentation evening of presentation took place in St Canice’s Neighbourhood Hall, Butts Green, last Thursday afternoon as prizes were presented to the best of the almost 70 floats and groups who took part in Kilkenny’s largest ever parade and St Patrick’s four-day festival.

Representatives of many of the groups attended and the prizes were presented by Mayor and outgoing Chairperson of the St Patrick’s Festival, Cllr Joe Malone, with county council Director of Services Tim Butler acted as ‘fear an tí’ for the occasion.
Cllr Malone pronounced this year’s festival and parade a huge success.

“While the weather on St. Patrick’s Day definitely helped us, it is true to say that we were all totally taken aback by the incredible number of visitors and locals who attended the festivities on the national Saint’s Day.”
He said a garda estimate was that 40,000 people attended the parade.

“We are hugely thankful to An Garda Síochána and all the other local agencies, including the Kilkenny Civil Defence unit and our countless volunteers. The stewarding provided by St. Brigid’s Camogie Club and the leading of the parade by their colleagues in the Ballycallan Fife and Drum Band contributed greatly to the day.

“Of course, this was a weekend full of activities, with the fantastic marching bands coming from three different states of the US drawing huge crowds and dozens of family events, from rhythm workshops to pop up Gaeltacht, fireworks and pyrotechnics events that made it a weekend of fun and spectacle."

The mayor said organisers were delighted to have Richie Power as Grand Marshall of the parade, ‘continuing the inspirational leadership he has shown over the last year in telling his personal story, with as much bravery and style as he showed on the hurling pitches and stadia during his famed career’.

Richie was joined by upcoming singing star, young Stevie Mulrooney, who has captured the hearts of the nation this year.

Tim Butler, Director of Services, said that it was of course the community, sports, arts and cultural groups who captured the essence of the parade.
“The efforts put in by all the groups, their creativity, colour and diversity, showed off the very best of our city and county.
“It is a privilege to just walk in our parade, and a memory that will last a lifetime, but the effort put in by so many of the groups really makes the vital difference,” he said.

“Of course, none of this could happen without the remarkable input and attention to detail of Marian Flannery and her team, Jennifer Cooper and Helena Hatton, and the many volunteers who assisted them along with the team at Corporate. We are truly lucky to have had this professional team leading a very busy and intense festival.”

Winners
Each winning group received a special Jerpoint Glass trophy, a certificate of their achievement and a voucher to help their organisation’s work.
The winners were:
Most Creative and Entertaining - Xquisite Dance Club.
Best Young People - Kilkenny United Women’s Football Club.
Best Rural - Conahy Vintage Club.
Best School - Dancewise Academy.
Best Interpretation of the Theme - 15th Kilkenny FortGrange Scout Group.

A special commendation was given to acknowledge Gaelscoil Osraí, with teachers Ivan, Neasa and Proinnsiasa and the 40 children who worked with street theatre facilitator Steve Nolan to create a wonderful pageant with St. Patrick and a snake chasing cats throughout the parade.
They made their own masks and designed their t-shirts while learning all about the skills involved in the choreography of such an event. The festival thanked Steve for the six weeks he spent working with the múinteoirí agus páistí.
The mayor also thanked the judging panel of Brian Keyes, Annemaria Walsh, Azeta Seery and Seán McKeown.