Despite the rather risky weather, hundreds of people lined the streets for the 2019 Ballina/Killaloe St. Patrick’s Day parade and the organising committee would like to say a huge thanks to all those who helped make the day such a success.

• Inspector Morgen O’Donoghue, Sergeant Annette Ryan and members of the Killaloe Gardaí for their excellent work in ensuring the safe and successful running of the parade
• The Killaloe Coastguard Unit for their fantastic display of their services
• Killaloe Fire Brigade
• Our group of drummers who led this years’ parade, St. Patrick and our Piper Brian O’Connell
• All the voluntary clubs & organisations, individuals and businesses who put so much work into preparing their floats for the day –

Ballina GAA Club; Ballina/Killaloe RFC, Birdhill FC, Birdhill Tidy Towns, Ború Tri-Club; CarPal, Derg Credit Union; Derg Credit Union; Fergus Collins Construction; Irish Taekwondo Academy, Killaloe 5^th/22^nd Scout Group, Kieran Scullane Home Improvements; Kilbane Tractor Run; Killaloe Garden Hire; Lough Derg FC, My Next Adventure; Smith O’Brien’s GAA and Vintage Tractor driven by John Bowman

• We would also like to say a huge thank you to all the floats who continued from the Green to Lakes Nursing Home to entertain the many residents who were getting into the spirit of our feast day
• Killaloe/Ballina Community and Family Resource Centre for their continued support,
• Our sponsors, without whom the running of such a successful parade would not have been possible:

Main Sponsors of this year’s event: Tipperary County Council and Technopath Clinical Diagnostics.

• Allied Irish Bank, Birdhill Tidy Towns, Brian Ború on the Hill, Car Pal, Collins Pharmacy Ballina, Derg Credit Union, Farrell’s SPAR, Fergus Collins Construction, Fine Rags, Flanagan’s on the Lake, Gooser’s Bar & Restaurant, Grogan’s Pharmacy & Optician’s, Harry Brann Auctioneers, Irish Taekwondo Academy, Kieran Scullane Home Improvements, Kilbane Tractor Run, Killaloe Garden Hire, Killaloe Post Office, Larkin’s Gala, Lough Derg FC, McKeogh’s Hardware, Scoop’s Ice-Cream Parlour, The Lakeside Hotel & Leisure Centre, & Walsh’s Bar.
• The dignitories who attended the parade and those who were present on the reviewing stand – Councillor Fiona Bonfield, Councillor Phyll Bugler, Timmy Dooley T.D, Fr. James Grace, Councillor Mattie McGrath, Inspector Morgen O’Donoghue, Fr. Tom Lanigan-Ryan, Councillor Tony O’Brien

We would also like to thank the following who, due to other commitments, were not able to attend on the day – Cllr. Joe Cooney, Councillor Ger Darcy and Sadie Scanlan.

• Mike McGrath Haulage for providing the reviewing stand for the parade
• Killaloe Flowers for beautifully decorating the reviewing stand for the celebrations
• Ballina Engineering who kindly provided our steps for the reviewing stand
• Mike McKee for providing the PA for the day
• Killaloe/Ballina Community and Family Resource Centre for their continued support,
• Ballina GAA for use of the complex,
• The parade stewards & all those who helped out with the preparations on the day
• Our volunteer photographers who did a great job capturing the parade – Dennis Kennedy and Robert Fairfield

We would also like to congratulate the winners on the day –

Best Overall Float: Fergus Collins Construction;

Best Business Float: Killaloe Garden Hire;

Best Topical Float: Birdhill Tidy Towns;

Best Comical Float: Lough Derg FC;

Best Club Float: Killaloe 5^th/22^nd Scouts;

Special Merit Award: The Irish Taekwondo Academy

Best Dressed Window: Collins Pharmacy, Ballina

We look forward to seeing you for Féile Brian Ború 2019 which this year will take place on the later dates of from Wednesday 17^th – Sunday 21^st July.
Follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Feilebrianboru) to get updates on this years’ festival.

Photo Credit: Denis Kennedy