‘At the stroke of midnight’: Leitrim town to host Ireland’s earliest St. Patrick’s parade this year

Kinlough is planning to host the earliest St. Patrick's Day parade in Ireland this year by taking off at one minute past midnight on Tuesday morning.

“At the stroke of midnight, we will be hitting the street,” said Cllr Justin Warnock, who is organising the parade, alongside the Kinlough town team.

The parade will be the first in the village's history, with locals usually making the trip to parades in Bundoran or Manorhamilton.

“It won’t be a big do, but it will be a big one for Kinlough, because it never had a St’ Patrick’s Day Parade,” said Warnock.

Gathering at 11 pm on the 16th of March, the parade will take off from the Kinlough community centre just after midnight.

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It will make its way through the village before turning around at the Court House restaurant at the top of the street, and returning to the community centre for music and tea after the parade.

The parade will include floats made by locals, tractors, and St. Patrick, who is organised to lead the procession up the street in his first appearance of the year.

If you are going to do something, it might as well be something different, according to Warnock, who says the parade will be a chance for the growing community in the north Leitrim village to come together.

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The first parade of the year is usually held in Dingle and sets off before Dawn at 5:30 am, but this year, Kinlough will take that crown, heading off at midnight.  

“We are going to be the first, there is no doubt about that,” said Warnock.