Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit!
Happy St Paddy's Day to you all! (And yes, it is Paddy's Day, not Patty's; we'll get into that later!) March 17th is a famous day around the world for craic agus ceoil, – essentially: fun and music – the enormous Irish diaspora, and celebrating the varied heritage that comes with it.
March in the Dublin St Patrick’s Day Parade!
This is undoubtedly the most famous St Patrick's Day parade in the world, and for many groups, it's the ultimate goal!
The buzz around the city is undeniable and for large, competitive & non-competitive marching bands, this is the perfect goal to work towards.
With 100,000+ people on the streets watching the parade and cheering performers along, the energy is infectious!
However, the waiting list is long; applications for 2028 are now open. If you're interested in applying, get more info here.
For your groups that might not get this opportunity for a while, consider some alternatives around the country!
Alternative Parades in Ireland
The Galway Parade
Galway is another of Ireland's cities that has the beating heart of the Irish people close at hand!
If you want your groups to have a truly Irish experience parading with local groups in another vibrant seaside city, Galway could be the perfect fit.
The Cork Parade
This is often the go-to runner up for alternative St Patrick's Day parade options in Ireland and for good reason!
It's the second biggest parade in the country with thousands of people flocking to it every year. Not to mention the fact that it's livestreamed so your group's friends and family can watch back home!
The Sligo Parade
If you want to take a stab at a totally new parade destination rolling out the red carpet for international visitors, chat to us about marching in Sligo!
With a thoughtful parade route and facilities built for making Sligo a parade destination, marching here will be unforgettable.
Other Festivals to Add to Your Paddy’s Day Trip!
When groups travel to Ireland for St Patrick's Day, there needs to be more than just the opportunities on the day itself to make the whole trip a well-rounded performance experience.
Leading up to St Patrick's Day, there is The Limerick International Band Championship – perfect for open-jaw flight journeys, or for those looking to stay on the west coast for their full adventure.
And throughout the St Patrick's Day festival there is also the St Patrick's Choral Festival! With the grand finale of the choral festival taking place on March 18th in St Patrick's Cathedral. This is the perfect opportunity for choral programmes that want to travel with their band programme but just can't seem to line up the opportunities at the right time.
If you want to learn more about the St Patrick's Choral Festival, have a look at the website here: https://www.stpatrickschoralfestival.com/.
The deadline for applications for 2027 are May 31, 2026.
In addition to these wonderful opportunities, you can enhance your group's time in Ireland by getting to know the locals in smaller towns with fringe festival popping up all around the country!
So, why do the Irish say "Paddy's Day" instead of "Patty's"?
To put it simply, it's because it's from a different language! Irish, though not as commonly spoken these days, is a live and ancient language that's not based in Germanic or Latin roots – so it can often look a little more wildly foreign to native English speakers than some Romance languages.
Irish is a Celtic language dating back more than 2,500 years ago, and in that language there are, of course, Irish names that have since been Anglicised.
Padraig is one such name, and it is the Irish name that would eventually become Patrick.
Long story short, if you really want to give a nod to your Irish roots, make sure to wish everyone a good aul' Happy Saint Paddy's Day!
