The Lucan Parade takes place at 3pm on St. Patrick’s Day. This year the group are very pleased to welcome Sorcha Furlong as 2023 Parade Marshall. They are all avidly following her current storyline as Orla Molloy in Fair City. Sorcha is also an accomplished writer and singer with upcoming performances with her live band project ‘Forever Hits’ at the Crescent Concert Hall in Drogheda, The Well St. Stephen’s Green Dublin, and the Civic Theatre, Tallaght. Sorcha performs 80’s anthems from Starship, Gloria Estefan, Kim Wilde, Cher, Genesis, Pat Benatar, etc. etc. 2 hours of nonstop 80’s hits. The group are delighted that Sorcha will lead the parade this year.
The parade will assemble and commence at the large green located at Green Park Road / Westbrook Park / Hillcrest Close in Hillcrest (adjacent to Tesco) from 2pm, be in place by 2:30pm. The Parade commences at 3pm sharp and proceeds down Dodsboro Road, under the N4 bridge onto the Leixlip Road, past McDonalds, onwards towards The Bally Alley pub, and into Lucan Village, turning left at Courtneys, past the review stand located outside the Muintir na Tire hall, and disperses up through the village past the Italian Embassy. The parade takes two hours approximately to complete the route.
Road closures from 2pm to 6pm;
1. Dodsboro Road / Tandys Lane
2. Old Celbridge Road
3. Lucan Road from the Village to St Marys Church
4. Adamstown Road from Courtneys to N4
5. No through road through the village
6. Chapel Hill Open for north bound traffic crossing the Liffey Bridge
The group need your help to steward the parade on St. Patrick’s Day, please contact Caroline Brady 085 2551602 if you would like to volunteer.
Local Parents, Barabara Cummins & Mary Meehan, came together with the late Peter Brady and established the first Lucan St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1991. Over 30 years ago the children of Lucan didn’t have a parade and it was impossible to get into the Dublin parade, either as participants or to view the parade. Caroline Brady said “It’s not very easy for local children to get into the Dublin parade today, plus going into town to see the parade puts a big cost burden on parents for the day. The parade committee in Lucan is all about giving local Children and families a day out that they can enjoy. We want to give children an opportunity to come together, parade on our national day, demonstrate their skills, and celebrate what it is to be Irish, each in their own individual way.”
The parade presents an opportunity for community organisations to present and showcase what they do, especially the children’s groups. Caroline said “It’s designed to be a family day out with activities for all the family to enjoy. It’s great fun watching the children’s energetic and colourful performances demonstrating skills like dancing, tai chi, cricket, football, hurling, all at the review stand in the middle of Lucan village, plus we have marching bands, music, face painting, balloons, etc., great craic for the day and free with the support of South Dublin County Council, business in Lucan and the Gardai”
The group is a non-profit, volunteer lead, organisation funded by a Community Grant from South Dublin County Council, donations from Lucan Traders, and various fundraising events held during the year. For further information contact LucanParade@gmail.com
Pic credit: Paul Butler
