Looking back: a pre-St Patrick's Day report from 42 years ago

One of our readers (and a regular crossword entrant), Bernie Golden was rooting around at home a few months ago, and found some old copies of the Westmeath Examiner. She dropped them in for us to have a look at, and this front page from March 1982 caught our eye.

This is the lead story on the page:

Magnificent response to Mullingar’s St Patrick’s Day Parade

The efforts to have a St Patrick’s Day Parade in Mullingar have at last paid dividends and this week members of Mullingar Junior Chamber are as busy as bees coping with all the organisational developments entailed by what promises to be a most colourful and entertaining parade. There are 80 floats participating and for over an hour the people of the town and the surrounding areas will witness a spectacle of pageant and involvement which has been well worth the problems that have been encountered and surmounted.

This parade is starting at 5pm. The reason for the late start is the fact that other towns have been having their St Patrick’s Day parades over the years and have bookoed bands year after year. So, in order to obtain bands Mullingar have to wait until parades in other adjacent towns are finished.

Among the bands taking part are the Mullingar Town Band, Ballyjamesduff Band, Multyfarnham Childrens Band, Drumraney Band, Tullamore and Tang Bands and the Comhaltas Float will have its own Irish Music.

The Army is sending along a special mortar regiment which is a special show in itself.

The parade will commence at The Horizon Ballroom and end at Nugents Garage, down through the main streets.

Commented Jim Bourke, Chairman of the St Patrick’s Day Committee, this week “Junior Chamber is very pleased that there has been such a magnificent response to our appeal to participate in the parade. It makes all the work and efforts well worthwhile. Because this is our first parade it is essential that it runs like clock work. I am appealing to all who are taking part to ensure they are there on time, that they also know their number and that they strickly obey the marshalls. Because of the late start of the parade, we will be endeavouring to beat the darkness and the utmost co-operation is essential.

Similarly when the parade is ended at Nugents Garage we would ask all participants to continue on outside the town and to leave all exits free, so as not to block the flow of the remainder of the parade. Any hitch in this regard would be disastrous, especially in view of the need to get the parade finished before darkness falls”

Junior Chamber P.R.O. Brenda Traynor appealed to the public to come along and see the parade. “Make it a family outing – there will be much for the children to see and enjoy, but also ensure that there is ample room for the parade to pass along – do not crowd out against it and obey the stewards at all times. I am aware, she said, that many of those taking part have not spared themselves to make their floats as colourful and entertaining as possible. I would ask those I have not spoken to in this connection to make a similar effort”, she said.

Reviewing Stand

The reviewing stand will be at the Market House and it is hoped to have Mr Albert Reynolds T.D., Minister for Industry and Environment there to take the salute Local Oireachtas members will also be on the stand.

There are special prizes for various categories and the cup and trophies are on display in Whelehans (Chemists) window. There ill be a prize for the Commercial and Industrial section, the Bands, Novelty, Social and Cultural, Best Irish Float (presented by Glor na nGael Committee) and an overall award. The results will be announced that night. The judges have been carefully chosen.

A video recording will be made of the parade and copies will be available later.

In the case of large floats – they must approach the Horizon Ballroom from the Ballymahon Road direction. Any entrants late will not be allowed to participate, so please adhere to the time you have been given.

At the end of the parade no vehicles will be allowed to go back up the town – they must move swiftly outside the town and not block exits.

No traffic will be allowed enter the town between 4.45pm and the time the parade ends – approximately 6.30pm.