There are celebrations for St Patrick's Day this year in Waterford City, Tramore and Portlaw.
Waterford City is gearing up to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a three-day festival from March 17th to 19th.
As part of that, the parade will return for the first time since 2019, with the theme Waterford, Ireland's Best Place to Live. Led by Grand Marshall Finn Ryan
Lego fan Finn was a huge hit on last year's Late Late Toy Show when he rang the bell to herald the end of his cancer treatment.
WLR's Vinny and Aoibhin of The Big Breakfast Blaa are this year's MCs.
The parade will take to the streets of Waterford City at 1pm on St Patrick's Day. It begins at the Waterford Bus Station and will proceed along the Quay, past the Clock Tower and the Plaza, moving around to the Mall.
Road closures in Waterford City
The following Roads will be closed on March 17th from 11am until 5pm to facilitate the parade:
• R680 – Merchants Quay
• R680 – Meagher’s Quay
• R680 – Coal Quay
• R680 – Custom House Quay
• R680 – Parade Quay
• R680 – The Mall
• R680 – Parnell Street
• R708 – Catherine Street
• L90025 – Colbeck Street
• L5530 – Lady Lane (from its junction with Bakehouse lane to Colbeck Street)
• L55302 — St Francis Place
• L90024 – Bank Lane
• L90307 – Beau Street
• L90023 – Mall Lane
• R683 – Lombard Street (from its Junction with Rose Lane to The Mall)
• L90022 – Adelpi Quay –(from its junction with Rose Lane to Parade Quay)
• L90021 – Bailey’s New Street
• L90020 – Greyfriars
• L90019 – Coffee House Lane
• L90018 – Henrietta Street
• L90017 – Keyser Street
• L5534 – Exchange Street
• L5535 – Conduit Lane
• L91091 – Barronstrand Street
• L5501 – Gladstone Street
• L1502 – O’Connell Street
• L15021 – Thomas Hill (from its junction with Meeting House Lane to O’Connell Street)
• L5506 – Vulcan Street
• L5505 – Thomas Street
• L1503 – The Glen (Road No. 1)
• L15033 – The Glen (Road No. 3)
Diversions: 17th March
Travelling East on R680 Cork Road:
All traffic for M9, N25 and N24 via Rice Bridge shall be diverted at Cork Road Roundabout and directed to Rice Bridge via R686.
Traffic for Tramore, Waterford Airport, University Hospital Waterford or Williamstown/ Dunmore Road area shall use the Inner Ring Road and are unaffected.
Travelling West on R680 Rice Bridge:
The left lane shall be on Rice Bridge shall be closed and all traffic shall be diverted via R686 to R680 Cork Road at the Cork Road Roundabout. All Traffic shall then use normal routes.
Other Routes:
Travelling to Rice Bridge from Tramore, Waterford Airport, University Hospital Waterford or Williamstown/Dunmore Road area shall be diverted via R709 Inner Ring Road to Cork Road Roundabout and the detour via R686.
Parking:
Parking within the main Quay car parks will be available until approximately 1 hour before the parade Commences at 1pm and will be reopened 30 minutes after the all clear is called by Event Control. All on-street car parking on the closed roads will be removed 24hours before the parade begins. All other city car parks will be unaffected.
Buses
Buses will run to a Sunday schedule. More here.
Live streaming
There will also be an online streaming of the Parade, for those who cannot attend. WLR’s Geoff Harris will be live at the parade in the brand-new WLR broadcast unit from 12 – 3pm, speaking with local parade goers, playing the best Irish music and much more. Brought to you by RelateCare.
Three Day St Patrick's Festival in Waterford City
Coupled with the traditional St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a three day festival of music and culture in Waterford City.
On Friday, March 18th, Ireland’s newest Bank Holiday, there will be a trail of free music, dance and entertainment from John Roberts Square to O’Connell Street to the Plaza Festival Stage. There will be performances from local acts such as Intonations Choir, Celtic Rock Stars, Afro Dance Troop, Brass and Co., Banna Nua, Waterford Malayalee Association, WAMA, TheatreBox, Toucan and more.
Saturday, March 19th will see more music at the Plaza Festival Stage with community group performances, Three for the Road, Thin as Lizzy and Rookie Thomson. While the Applemarket Music Sessions will feature Oasis tribute band, Mad Ferritt, ahead of a fireworks display on the Quay at 9pm.
Road closures for fireworks on Saturday
To facilitate a fireworks display the following Roads shall be closed on March 19th from
8.45pm to 9.15pm:
• R680 – Quay from Gladstone St Roundabout to Keizer St. Roundabout
• R680 – The Mall from junction of Lombard St to Parade Quay
You'll find more details here.
Tramore Parade
This year's Grand Marshall in Tramore is James Power from Stage Mad Theatre, with the theme Being Together Again.
The Parade this year will commence at 1.30pm from the Cannon's field Car park.
From here it will proceed across the Summerhill Junction onto the Old Waterford Road, onto the Racecourse Roundabout, the GAA Roundabout and then onto the Waterford road, finishing at the former Railway Station Building.
Walking entries are asked to assemble at 1pm in the Cannons field Car Park as normal, but all floats and vehicles participating should assemble along the old Waterford road.
There will be music at the Cannon's Field at the start of the parade, at The Racecourse, and at the Railway Station to greet the parades arrival at the finish.
To coincide with the festivities, the Tramore Amusement Park will reopen for the spring / summer season. More here.
Road closures in Tramore
- Main Street (L4116) closed to traffic from 12:30 -15:00
- Lower Branch Road L4162 closed to traffic from 13:45 – 15:00
- Peters Street L41163 closed to traffic
- Turkey Road L4162 closed to traffic from 13:45 – 15:00.
- Tivolli Terrace L4162 closed to traffic for duration of Parade.
Local Access only to Priest Rd R682. Please note that full access to Supervalu customers Tramore will be maintained throughout via Church Rd/ Priests Rd.
All roads except Tivolli Terrace L4162 will be opened to vehicular traffic as soon as possible.
Portlaw Parade
The Grand Marshall is Fred Laffan, founding member of the Portlaw Musical Society, and described by organisers as an "all round village stalwart."
Parade details:
The Portlaw parade starts at 12pm at St Patrick's Church car park.
Between 11.00am - 11.55am: Floats/Machinery/Tractors will gather from Coffey's Corner out towards Coolfin, and from 11.30am – 11.55am Walking groups/clubs/societies gather in the Church car park.
At 12 noon walking groups leave Church car park.
A Garda squad car will lead, followed by Portlaw Pipe Band and this years’ Grand Marshall, Mr Fred Laffan.
The route will be up Queen St, down Brown St, and at the entrance to the square, walking groups go left and machinery etc continues on straight past the Chinese/library, around the Square and down Main St.
Stewards and barriers will be in place to help guide the parade traffic.
12.30pm: Local Irish Dancers will give a short performance.
12.35pm: Chair of Comeragh District Council, Cllr John O’Leary will speak.
12:40pm: New award, ‘The Walter Murphy (Mount Bolton) Memorial Shield’in recognition of the support that Walter and the Murphy family have given to the parade since 2015. Cllr John O’Leary, Fred Laffan and Niamh Doherty will be tasked with selecting the best turned out group and they will be awarded the shield until next year’s parade.
