Who’s Your Paddy…?

Red is the colour….

t‘s a day when the whole town comes together to celebrate our Irishness and indulge in more than a little Paddywhackery.

Yep, the Greystones St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one great big party. 

And after 2022’s great big Paddy party was saved by the beautiful Rise mini-festival – after our traditional parade once again went down the Wuhan – 2023 saw a welcome return to the streets of Greystones.

We’ll be adding new treats to our St Patrick’s Day round-up over the coming weeks – before the parade, for example, there’s free face painting at Daly’s SuperValu, from 9am to 11am, JD Magicians will be doing their close-up sleights of hand at Rise from 1pm to 3pm, whilst on the music front, there should be some diddley-aye up at The Horse & Hound in Delgany. We’re just waiting to hear back from Mark and Mary.

For those keen to get in the mood early, there’s always The Beach House sessions on Tuesday nights, The Horse on Wednesdays and The Grove Bar on Thursdays.

To get everyone excited agus delighted for Paddy’s Day, there’s an Irish music session at Greystones Library on March 15th from 11am to 11.30am. Because 30 minutes is all you need for a good seisiún, apparently. Leading the charge is Comhaltas Bray, and this is not a Bring Your Own Booze gig. Bring Your Own Books is fine though.

Another fine Greystones tradition on St Patrick’s Day is a hearty buffet breakfast at the Scout’s Den on Trafalgar Road – Google Maps here – from 8am. It’s €10 per person or €30 for a family. A dirty big fry-up is the perfect way to start any diddley-aye day. Details here. And while we have you there, the 1st Wicklow Scouts Greystones Scouts will be at their den on Church Road (just up from Centra) with fundraising cakes, sweets agus other assorted treats from 11am to 1pm.

And talking of proper Irish food, at Eskimo, you can grab any 3 large pizzas for the price of two – just for Paddy’s weekend. Order your Irish-does-Italian yum here. At Domino’s, they’ve got 30% off orders of €30 or more, or 2 medium pizzas, 2 classic sides and cookies for just €36 – more info here. Over at Tuk, it’s 5% off orders of €40 or more on March 17th and 18th, using promo code PADDY. Over at Sonny’s, they’re marking Paddy’s Day weekend with an exclusive GG offer – 10% off any online orders, using the promo code GUIDE10. Valid until Monday, March 18th. Order here, kids.

Which leads us nicely into the line-up for the big day, courtesy of this year’s brave organisers, the Greystones Town Team…

The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Greystones organised by the Greystones Town Team and the
Greystones Municipal District is set to dazzle and delight attendees of all ages, with a vibrant
procession showcasing the very best of our community spirit and cultural heritage.

This year’s parade promises to be bigger and better than ever before with the theme for 2024 being Creative Carnival, featuring an array of exciting attractions and entertainment for everyone to enjoy. Scheduled to kick off on the 17th March at 11am from the South Beach carpark, the parade will wind its way through the heart of Greystones, culminating in the lively Marina Plaza. As always, the event aims to celebrate the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day while fostering inclusivity and participation from all members of the community.

One of the standout features of this year’s parade is the introduction of a Quiet Zone, designed to ensure that individuals with sensory sensitivities can fully enjoy the festivities in a comfortable and welcoming environment. This initiative reflects our commitment to making the event accessible to everyone, regardless of their unique needs. The Quiet Zone is a section of the parade (from the South Beach zebra crossing to Lam’s takeaway) where we invite floats, musicians, participants to reduce their normal volume. The Parade committee has been working with Adam Harris and AsIAm to introduce the Quiet Zone this year.

Attendees can look forward to a diverse lineup of participants, including local sports clubs, dance schools, and marching bands, all adding to the lively atmosphere with their energetic performances.

When it comes to the street entertainers, down at the Harbour Plaza at 12.15pm, it’s Kids Club Ireland, Dann’s Disciples and some face painting; on the main street, it’s Robbie Doyle (10am) and Dylan Crampton (12.15pm) outside Eternity, The Bray Concert Band outside Felton McKnight (10am), Tadhg Conway at the library (1.30pm), Hanna McConnell (2pm) and Scott Hallion (2.30pm) at Susan Collins Home Of Hair, with face painting at Sonny’s and The Hungry Monk at 10am, and the library at 10am and 2pm. Plus, participants are encouraged to get creative and design their own parade floats, with a special prize awaiting the creators of the best float.

The theme of the 2024 parade is Creative Carnival, so attendees are urged to get creative! The Parade committee is excited to announce the 2024 Parade Grand Marshals – Siofra Lawless (World Champion boxer) and Pierce Cahill (Lakers legend). The grand marshals will participate in the parade and will be sitting in a special vintage car.

But the excitement doesn’t end there! Local shops and businesses are invited to join in the fun by decorating their storefronts in vibrant St. Patrick’s Day themes. A prize will be awarded to the establishment with the most eye-catching window display, encouraging friendly competition and community engagement.

To stay updated on all the latest news and announcements regarding the 2024 Greystones St. Patrick’s Day Parade, be sure to follow the Greystones Town Team on social media. Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook by following @greystones.ie, where you’ll find behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, event highlights, and more.

So mark your calendars and gather your friends and family for a day of festive fun at the 2024 Greystones St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Let’s come together to celebrate our community, our culture, and the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day in style!

Information on road closures and diversions, bus rerouting, and park and ride bus facilities will be available on the greystones.ie website. Naturally, there will be very limited parking in and around the town on the day.

And the organisers can always do with an extra pair of hands on the day. To be part of Greystones’ St Patrick’s Day 2023 parade, please email events@greystones.ie.

In the meantime, for inspiration, you can check out the town’s previous St Patrick’s Day parades here and this year’s goodies here. And do send us in your pics and videos of your proud costumes and houses, and your humiliated pets, to GG HQ on hello@greystonesguide.ie.

Main thing is, on the day, be proud, be loud and, above all, be happy…

You can revisit our Paddy’s Day of old here, and find the Dublin parade details here.