Clare County Council is being called on to offer financial supports to St.Patrick’s Day parades outside of the county town.
With Ireland’s national holiday right around the corner, organisers of the Shannon parade have claimed the local authority funds the Ennis parade due to a longstanding legacy, while no other parades in the county receive monetary support.
In a statement to Clare FM, Clare County Council says local parades ‘can and do apply for support through community grant funding’ and that councillors GMA money is often attributed to such parades.
Parade organiser, Niamh O’Callaghan, says there are some large unseen fees for which funding should be offered by the local authority to offset the cost of.
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Statement from Clare County Council:
As the county town, Ennis attracts thousands of people to Clare’s flagship St Patrick’s Day Parade every year. Clare County Council organises and supports the parade with Ennis MD staff organising, co-ordinating, managing and facilitating the Ennis parade together with the Civil Defence, Fire Services and the Gardaí.
Ennis Parade attracts participants from Ennis and across the county, including entrants from towns and villages who do not have a local parade, as well as participants who like to participate in both their local parade and the larger Ennis parade.
An event management plan is produced in advance of the Ennis Parade which includes crowd and traffic management solutions, communications strategy, health and safety risk assessments and emergency arrangements.
Last year up to 1,400 participants (over 40 groups) took part in the parade with many more thousands turning out to watch it. Approximately 60 volunteer staff assisted with managing the groups as they participate.
A large percentage of the funding comes from the councillors GMA money.
Meanwhile, locally organised parades can and do apply for support through community grant funding. Many are also supported by local councillors’ GMA money. Parade teams and committees also apply for funding under the Clare Local Area Grants Scheme (CLAGS grant).
For example, in the Shannon MD, in 2024 Clare County Council provided some financial support for the Sixmilebridge and Shannon parades under its small community grant scheme.
Another example last year, Clare County Councillors from the West Clare MD provided funding to parades under their GMA allocations to parades in Doonbeg, Fanore and Kilrush.
The council also offers the use of our cones, bollards, and barriers and other practical assistance to parades across the county, subject to availability.
