Limerick native and award winning actor Jon Kenny will lead the 2023 Limerick St. Patrick’s Day Parade as Grand Marshal. The Angela's Ashes, D'Unbelievables and The Banshees of Inisherin star is looking forward to his “starring role” in this year’s parade as he invites people to attend Limerick’s parade and “Discover” all that Limerick has to offer.
Grand Marshal Jon Kenny added: “There is no better occasion than to take a trip into town on St. Patrick’s Day and line the streets. It’s something I did when our lads were smaller and the parade was just something that we did. It is a big thing in the year for us. So, get up off the armchairs lads, get out there and get into town and do a bit. Wave your auld flags for the day!”
Calling Limerick home is special to Jon and he hopes that those who visit Limerick over the St. Patrick’s Festival weekend think the same.
“Being part of this society or community, this greater thing called Limerick you just begin to identify, I suppose we are part of a tribe, in a nice way.”
“It’s brilliant to feel you belong to part of something and to carry it with you in your work when you go away. It’s amazing no matter where I’ve been or performed whether you are in New York or Toronto or London or Belfast or any place or even in Dublin people come up to you and they say ‘you’re from Limerick aren’t you?’”
“I’m part of that group of people like a lot of people from County Limerick who are artists and musicians who have to travel for a living and so we do carry Limerick with us no matter where we go and with great pride.”
Limerick St. Patrick’s Festival celebrations will burst into life with a weekend of family fun activities, two parades and a feast of action at the heart of the Bank Holiday weekend.
Tens of thousands of spectators will be thrilled by the 2023 version of the Limerick St. Patrick’s Day parade, with over 1,500 people set to march their way down O’Connell Street and Henry Street before finishing on Rutland Street on Friday, 17 March from 12 noon.
The “Discover Limerick” theme will be to the fore of this year’s parade, with Viking warriors reminding us all of who “discovered” Limerick first. A special digital guide has been created outlining the events taking place in the Limerick St. Patrick’s Festival as well as the routes for the parade. It is available on Limerick.ie/StPatricksFestival.
Among the other family-friendly events taking place for Limerick St Patrick’s Festival include:
- Limerick St. Patrick’s Day Parade – Friday March 17 at 12noon
- Limerick St. Patrick’s Festival Street Show Saturday – Saturday March 18 on Bedford Row and Thomas Street
- 51st Limerick International Band Championship – Sunday March 19 at 12noon
- St. Patrick’s Unlocked at Limerick Milk Market – 12 – 20 March
- St. Patrick’s Weekend at the Hunt Museum – 17 – 19 March
- Limerick History Tour and Leprechaun Hunt at the People’s Museum – 17 March
- St. Patrick’s Tide at St. Mary’s Cathedral - 12 – 19 March
The action is not just confined to the city. Once again the County of Limerick will turn green with ten county parades confirmed for 2023.
From Adare, to Castleconnell to Mountcollins, 17 March in Limerick will have something for everyone.
Grooveyard is producing this year’s Limerick St. Patrick’s Festival on behalf of Limerick City and County Council along with partners Analog Devices, Mr Binman, Maldron Hotel and Fáilte Ireland.
Events are subject to change. For the most up-to-date details check out Limerick.ie/StPatricksFestival and Limerick St. Patrick’s Festival social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter). #LimerickStPatsFestival #LimerickEdgeEmbrace