Galway Bay fm newsroom - Motorists are advised to respect clearways and avoid parking in parade route areas such as Eglington Street ahead of the St. Patrick's Day procession tomorrow.
Organisers are expecting some 30 thousand spectators to attend the highly anticipated event.*
The city parade will kick off at 11.30am with 2019 marking the 117th anniversary of the Galway event.
The theme of this years parade is ‘diversity’ and the parade will feature an array of community, cultural, sporting and international groups including Ireland’s pioneering spectacle theatre company Macnas.
The shortened parade route will begin from NUIG Quadrangle, continue along University Road, over Salmon Weir bridge, along Eglington Street, Williamsgate Street and Eyre Square North finishing at Prospect Hill.
Gardai have advised motorists to avoid parking in areas such as Eglington Street to avoid issues with crowd congestion.
As part of the city event, Eyre Square will also host an outdoor village with vintage amusements and family activities.
Paralympic champion Eoghan Clifford and para-athlete Shane Curran will lead the parade.
Eoghan Clifford announced his retirement in 2018 following a cycling career which has seen him claim Paralympic and World Cup gold medals.
Para-athlete Shane Curran, recently returned from the IWAS World Games in the United Arab Emirates in February with a silver medal in the shot putt.
As well as being a member of the Galway Speeders, he participates in many other sports including wheelchair hurling and basketball, para cycling and para rowing.
To the county and the Athenry parade kicks off at 11.45 after mass with a theme based on fish and water.
Spiddal parade will also kick off at 11.45 after mass.
This is followed by Mountbellew where the parade kicks off at midday with Tuam Stars gymnasts entertaining the crowd in the square beforehand.
In Gort, the parade begins from Church Street at 12.30 and will be led by Grand Marshal Joe Healy, the President of the IFA.
In Craughwell, a mini parade will get underway at 12.30 with a 'shake-your-shamrock' fun run for kids.
The parade in Dunmore will also have a 12.30 start from the national school, while the parade in Oughterard gets underway at 1 with celebrations continuing until 3pm.
The parade in Cong gets underway at 12.30.
The parade in Headford begins at 12.45 but for early arrivals there will be music in the square by Drumadore as well as a kids' tractor run.
Kinvara's parade gets underway at 1 with the theme this year focused on Irish legends and folklore, while a special prize will be awarded for the shiniest tractor.
In Loughrea, the parade begins from Barrack Street at 1pm with a theme based on 'reduce, reuse and recycle.
In Tuam, the parade gets underway at 1.45 with this year's theme 'Go Green for Tuam's wellbeing'.
In Ballinasloe, the parade kicks off at 2 from the Fair Green with prizes to be awarded across five categories.
The Moycullen parade also has a start time of 2pm from Sweeneys with a theme of 'Moycullen through the years'.
Oranmore will host the last of Galway's parades with the floats taking to the streets at 3.30pm from Joyce's carpark at Oran Town Centre.
A number of other towns and villages are marking the national day with community festivals.
Claregalway's activities will be based at an all-weather tent in the courtyard at the rear of Hughes Supervalu from noon to 3.30.
Salthill is hosting a family fun day with activities getting underway at 12.30 at the outdoor stage in front of Seapoint.
In Aughrim, the parade will take place on bank holiday Monday at 4pm.
