Planning for Saint Patrick’s Day weekend celebrations is underway with parades, processions and special Masses.
Father John Moloney, of the Brothers of Saint John, will provide a special blessing and distribution of the shamrock at St Patrick’s Church in Soho on Sunday 17 March, followed by a liturgical midday mass on Monday 18 March.
The Council of Irish Counties Associations are expected to be at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Kilburn for the St Patrick’s Day feast Mass on Saturday 16 March at 6pm, which will be led by their newly appointed priest, Fr Tom Devereux. A procession will follow, which will include flying of the flag of Ireland, the Party of Irish County flag and the banner of St Patrick.
Festivities will take place all weekend at the Mazenod Social Club and Community Centre at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, including traditional Irish food and music in the lounge on Sunday and a ticketed performance of The Bannermen.
This year marks the twenty-first year of the Mayor of London’s annual St Patrick’s Day festivities. More than 50,000 people are expected to attend a parade on Sunday 17 March, starting at Trafalgar Square and ending at Whitehall.
Irish activist and drag queen Rory O’Neill, under the stage name Panti Bliss, will act as the Grand Marshal. Having experienced hostility following her speech about homophobia in Ireland at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, her presence is intended to exemplify the diversity of the London Irish community and showcase contemporary Irish culture.
The procession “celebrates the contribution of Irish communities in London” and will “show a diverse programme of Irish arts and culture”, said chief executive officer of the London Irish Centre, Séamus MacCormaic. The celebrations will include Irish marching bands, performances by the Celtic Youth Orchestra and traditional Irish dancing.
For information on tickets to the musical festivities at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Kilburn, contact the church directly.
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