St. Patricks Day Parade

The universe works in mysterious ways! Ever since college days, it's been a dream of mine to be able to celebrate St Paddy's day in Ireland. While my college days are definitely long gone, recently a serendipitous occurrence chanced so that I found myself in Dublin, the very weekend of St. Paddy's celebrations. In fact I didn't even know it was going to be St. Paddy's celebrations going on for the weekend that I booked, and only found out when landed at the airport and saw all the signs.

So it was with much excitement that I left the hotel around 10:30ish and walked down to the parade area. It was a really chilly, exciting and dare I say it - a Craic atmosphere :-)

It's very much a quaint and homespun parade, even in Dublin and cannot at all be compared to something like NYC's Macy's Parade. The event in Ireland truly celebrates the local community and the kids, and in the crowd I was in, the locals were cheering on the parade participants, while the American accents around me most often were disparaging, so definitely don't attend with that American Big is Better mindset, cause you'd be doomed to disappointment. Instead acknowledge it for the homespun folksy event that it is, and you'll find yourself having a grand old time!

Am very pleased got to attend!

Yelp 103/ 2019

Don't let the rating fool you too much - the parade is enjoyable. However, having been to several St. Patrick's Day Parades in the states, I was expecting something a bit more Irish for a parade in Dublin! Instead, the parade was very artistic this year, with themes like "The Wheel of Time" and "What the Ostrich Sees...". Further, there were just as many American marching bands as Irish. Outside an appearance by St. Paddy himself at the beginning of the parade, you might not know what the parade was all about.

A good parade to begin an amazing day !
Check out my video of this crazy event : http://petitlien.fr/stpatrick

So we are here in Dublin, Ireland to see the Saint Patrick's Day .All week Long has lead up to this Big Day. Lots of Americans here. I think because of Trinity University.
We have been here in Dublin for a week, and of course it is up and down, cold and colder. No rain though, it did threaten to but, held off.
The Parade started at 12. We stationed ourselves half way through.
A lot of places provided maps as to wear the parade would be going to.
So it was easy to find. It was packed full though. Lots of people every where!
The parade is nice. but it could of had more in it , I think at least.
There were nice tributes to the Military and other organizations. With a giant Saint Patrick leading the Parade.
Quite a few American Bands(College and high School) Which must be a great Honor for them to be asked to be in such a parade.

Every thing was placed up for safety and you can always find Police and other event helpers as they have bright Green or Yellow Jackets on.
You can buy grand stand seats for the Parade for 60 Euro a piece. That is a lot of $$ I think. Something I think they should of done was allow all the children to sit or stand in the front by the fences all the way around.
So many Children could not see the Parade , and really it should be about them being happy and getting to see it all.
A lot of Irish families brought big step ladders for the little ones to climb up on so they could see the Parade. Very smart , I thought!
Bus, or light Rail is the way to get there. Do not even think about driving anywhere near the downtown area. It is a lot of work for a short time.
But, for me it will probably a once in a life time thing, so it was worth it.

I have been avoiding the parade over the last couple of years or so as i hate all the pushing and shoving for space in order to see the American (Irish) marching bands and dressed up figures but i went there today with my 2 children. Once upon a time the floats were huge and dramatic with the likes of dragons and such but they are getting smaller and fewer and the parade tends to be made up of people dressed as various characters. However this year there seemed to be no theme just marching band after marching band, mostly playing 'the minstrel boy' and a few dancing colourful children. I find very little to be Irish about the parade and think it sad that so many come from afar for a wishy washy wet weather washout. I think more is put into the st Patricks day parades in other countries from what i've seen on TV than in our capital city which is disappointing.
It has always been tradition for the whole family to go to the parade but i think more thought has to be put into the parade to keep my interest. Even after the parade there was little going on, except for the rip-off carnival on the quays. Don't bother going there, they'll take your coins but not offer much in response.
Oh Saint Patrick come back to our fair land and rekindle the spirit that your day was meant to about. Oirishness.

I was so excited that I was going to be in Dublin for the St. Patricks Day Parade but oh how I was so disappointed.

Yes, the crowd was big and the atmosphere over the weekend ( and the whole week really ) was very festive but when it came to the parade itself, WTF?!?

It was 95% a combination of American marching bands ( I can stay at home for that ) and teenage dramat groups ... what does that have to do with the main Irish holiday or its heritage?

Am I missing something? Were my expectations too high? Are parades not a big thing locally? Maybe someday I'll find out.