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Following the end of Mass, worshippers joined with other members of the community for an impromptu St. Patrick’s Day parade led by Irish Army veteran, Frank Condon, carrying the Tricolor, with Sheffield Hallam University’s Gaelic Athletics Club helping steward. The parade of more than 300 people made its way through the city centre before arriving at Sheffield Town Hall for an Irish Dance display from the renowned Elizabeth Byrne School in the Town Hall foyer.
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The parade then made its way upstairs to the Town Hall’s Reception Rooms, with hundreds streaming in to hear Derek Feely from the Irish Embassy and Councillor Bob McCann from Sheffield City Council welcome guests to the first-ever civic reception for the city’s Irish community.
Sheffield Irish Festival Co-ordinator Kevin Meagher said:
"It’s safe to say Sheffield hasn’t seen anything like this before. Our St. Patrick’s Day celebration was a stunning success with our first-ever St. Patrick’s Day parade. A few of us had planned to do it come what may and I told people at the Mass that if they wanted to come to our civic reception they had to join the parade – and so they all did!
"When we got to the Town Hall we had arranged for a dance display in the reception area. We had originally thought it would be a modest affair but our entire parade came through the doors. It’s fair to say we brought the place to a standstill, but everyone appreciated to show and got in the spirit.
"Many people in the Irish community had never set foot in the Town Hall’s grand reception rooms before so it was an extra special occasion for the Irish in the city and has really put us on the map."
