18/03/2026
What a day we had in Ballinasloe for the 2026 St. Patrick’s Day Parade 🇮🇪
With over 30 floats on the streets, there was colour, music, entertainment and a great atmosphere right through the town. It was a brilliant day for Ballinasloe and a real reminder of the pride, effort and community spirit that is here in such strong supply.
One of the best parts of the day was seeing so many different groups taking part. From community organisations and local schools to the many cultures and communities that are now part of Ballinasloe, the parade was a real reflection of the town at its best. It was a great showcase of the people, groups and talent that make Ballinasloe what it is.
A sincere thank you to our main sponsors — Ballinasloe Credit Union, Ballinasloe Vintners, Shearwater Hotel, Gullane’s Hotel and Supermac’s — for their support in helping to make the parade possible. All sponsors will be acknowledged in full in a separate post later this week.
A special word as well for Ballinasloe Town Band. We are very lucky to have them. Not every town has its own band, and they add so much to occasions like this. We would really encourage parents to get their children involved and help keep that great tradition going.
Congratulations to all of our winners and runners-up across the different categories. We will be giving them the recognition they deserve in a separate post. A big thank you to all of our stewards and volunteers, An Garda Síochána, Galway County Council, the Ballinasloe Fair & Festival for the use of the soundstage, and everyone who helped in any way behind the scenes.
We also want to congratulate and thank our Grand Marshal Stanley Clarke, who led the parade with great pride, while the Irish Defence Forces Colour Party proudly opened proceedings on the day.
Most of all, thank you to everyone who took part, came along and supported the parade. It was a great day for Ballinasloe and a great showcase of all that is good in the town.
