Video: Organiser Mary McGowan says the event now needs donations to keep going
Organisers say a smaller ‘community procession’ is replacing the annual Nottingham St Patrick’s Day parade as the event continues to face financial problems.
There are a variety of events and entertainment planned on March 17, including a performance from the Irish Prison Service Pipe Band.
But due to funding problems and a lack of volunteers, this year’s festivities will now be much smaller, its organising committee said.
A community procession will run from Thurland Street and end in Old Market Square, instead of the usual ‘grand parade’ from the Forest Rec.
What we’ve done is try to make the best we can with the reduced funds
Mary McGowan is a member of the organising committee for the St Patrick’s Day event in Nottingham and is originally from County Mayo in Ireland.
She said: “The committee has been running now for 17 years but some of the volunteers who have been on past committees actually said that they wished to resign because they’ve been doing it for so long and getting a bit older.
“To be honest, we wouldn’t mind some new ideas and new people in.”
According to Mary, the parade costs around £30,000 to put on each year and they have fallen way short this year due to Irish government funding cuts and a lack of public donations.
Mary said: “We are really hopeful that people will donate through the golden giving site.
“What we’ve done is try to make the best we can with the reduced funds we have this year but we are still very hopeful that we will be able to continue in the coming years.”
If you want to be part of the March 17 festivities, the Market Square entertainment begins with ‘The Hurling Boys’ at 11.25am.
Image: Full programme of events for St Patrick’s Day Festival in Nottingham
