Your complete guide to 2024 St Patrick's Day Parades in Laois

Laois will be filled with community activity this St Patrick’s Day 2024, with lots of parades and fun prepared across many towns and villages.

Portlaoise will be packed with St Patrick’s Day activities among over a dozen parades all around Laois.

Portlaoise parade starts at 12.30pm with a large number of floats and clubs expected to take part. There will also be bouncy castles, a carnival, Jeca The Clown, live music on the bandstand, and market stalls. 

The town will be full of activity even before the parade, with Portlaoise AC’s huge Streets of Portlaoise 5km run starting at 11am, and a short pre-parade by Portlaoise Panthers basketball club at 11.45am to call for new sports facilities for the town.

Heath GAA participants in Portlaoise parade. 

Just outside Portlaoise, The Heath is holding its first ever St Patrick’s Day parade, organised by the GAA club. It begins at 8.45am at the club grounds, proceeding to the church for 9.30am mass. Refreshments will be served afterwards in the adjoining parish hall.

Ballyroan parade takes place as usual gathering at the Church for 10am for the parade after 9.30 am Mass. It will feature local vintage vehicles and local clubs.

In Mountrath the parade also starts at 12.30pm from the GAA grounds. The theme is All Kinds of Everything with Shanhoe School Band providing the music. 

All businesses, clubs and groups are welcome, with an added cash prize with the trophy for best overall entry, and category winners for Best group, Best walking group and Best business.  The stage will feature Irish dancing and live music with MC Johnny Purcell doing the parade commentary. After the parade entertainment continues with Camross Comhaltas followed by prize giving.   Children’s entertainment and facepainting are sponsored by Mountrath Festival Committee. 

Rathdowney is planning a great day, with a call on all volunteers, clubs, schools, walking groups, organisations, and businesses to get involved and make it even bigger than the successful 2023 parade. The 2024 theme is  "We're on the one road - One for All, All for One".

The parade starts at 12 noon with a family festival taking place in The Square from 11am to 2pm. The committee will be awarding a new Perpetual trophy for Best Dressed Window, sponsored by Leanbh Mo Chroí, Rathdowney. Call/text 0872849268 or email rathdowneyarts@gmail.com to enquire. 

In Abbeyleix the St. Patrick’s Day Parade sets off at 12.30pm, making its way down its traditional route from Heritage House to finish at the Manor Hotel.

The National Tidy Towns Competition trophies will proudly lead the way this year. There are prizes for the best walking float, mechanised float,  commercial float; business window display and domestic residence display. 

Prize also for the best children’s outfit among the spectators as deemed by a “Roving Judge”. For further information, contact 087-1737852. 

A past Abbeyleix parade. Photo: Alf Harvey

Clonaslee starts marching at 12 noon on the day, from Clonaslee Community Centre. All floats are asked to assemble from 11 am. Float Categories prizes on the day include Best Vintage, Best Dressed Dog, Best Club / School, Most Original, Most Entertaining. 

There is a whopping €600 cash prize and a Trophy for the Best Overall Float on the Day. Also €150 cash prize and a Trophy for 1st prize in each section. It is free to enter. Donations and volunteers welcome in the Community Centre on the day. Enquiries to Brendan on 087-967-5054 or Ronan on 085-148-2296. 

In nearby Rosenallis, parade participants are invited to assemble at Johnsgrove at 3pm for the parade which starts at 3.30pm. There are 1st, 2nd & 3rd prizes awarded for best participants on the day. Plaques presented at stand to vintage partaking in parade. Free tea, coffee and cake after  in the Community Centre. All enquiries to 085 184 7390

Spink village is also holding its annual parade, organised by the GAA club. Participants set off after the end of 9.30am Mass, parading to the village hall where refreshments will be served. The new IFA President Francie Gorman will be Grand Marshall.Joe Cass will be St Patrick, and Spink Comhaltas will perform in the hall afterwards. 

Happy spectators at the 2023 Stradbally parade. Photo: Michael Scully

Stradbally, Vicarstown and Timahoe are again holding their lovely trio of parish parades to the village Masses. 

Vicarstown parade starts from the bridge at 9am for 9.30am Mass. Next is Timahoe, with all asked to gather at the community hall at 9.30am to start at 10am to walk to Mass at 10.30am.

Stradbally parade will march from Ashtrees on the Portlaoise end of the town, at 10.50am to set off at 11am for Mass at 11.30am. 

Graiguecullen parade begins in Carlow Town Park.  All participants must assemble at 10.30am sharp.  The parade will start at 11am and proceed through the streets of Graiguecullen via Sleaty Road, Colclough Ave, Maher Rd, Ninety Eight Street, Maryborough Street, Bridge St, finishing at St Clare's Church on the Leighlin Road side arriving for 11.30am Mass in St Clare's.  The parish is inviting everyone to attend the special Mass to celebrate the faith, language, music sport and culture of the community.  Contact Jackie on 086 3988548 for more..

Killeshin holds its 38th annual St Patrick's Day Parade this year. All clubs and organisations and the public are asked to assemble at the new School at 9.15am with flags and banners to parade to Mass for 10.15am. 

Two of the biggest towns in Laois are however without parades, as neither Portarlington nor Mountmellick have events again this year.

Pat Donegan, Band Director of Portarlington Concert Band said his young members are disappointed.

“We would love nothing better than to go parading in our town. We have up to 65 members from the age of six upwards and we recently embarked on cultivating a marching band. We hope to march in the town on Easter Sunday,” he said.

They have instead taken up an invitation to march and perform at the Newbridge parade. 

Durrow has no parade this year either, as the town holds them only every second year.