By Leah Conway –
Celebrations for Huddersfield’s St Patrick’s Day Parade return this year on Sunday, 20 March.
This year’s parade marks Huddersfield’s 20th annual parade. However, this year’s celebrations will be taking a different form this year. The parade will take place in St George’s Square rather than its traditional route around the town centre.
The parade will also feature the ‘World’s second shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade’. The 32 metre long parade leads from the Station Steps to the Harold Wilson Statue, with each metre representing one county in Ireland.
The parade also fits in with the theme of the Huddersfield High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) Cultural Programme – ‘arrivals’.
The pathway from the train station steps represents the first experience of Huddersfield for many Irish people and other people to visit and settle in Huddersfield.
What’s the plan?
Irish music and dance are at the centre of this year’s itinerary. Here’s a look at the celebrations to come:
- 11:30 am – 12:30 pm Mass – St. Patrick’s Church (Irish Dancers and Brother’s Pearse GAA Youth Section)
- 12:00 pm – Parade Celebration Starts, St. George’s Square
- 12:00 -1:00 pm – Traditional Irish Music Session (The Grove Music Group)
- 12:30 – 12:45 pm – Irish Centre Set Dancers with The Siege of Ennis
- 1:00 pm – Town Crier announces the start of the Parade (from the Station Steps)
- 1:15 pm – Presentation and Speeches – Irish Embassy North of England Vice Consul General Carina O’Brien
- 1:30 – 2:00 pm – Frances Cassidy School of Irish Dancers
- 00 – 2:30 pm – St. Patrick’s Primary School Choir
- 00 – 2:45 pm – Brothers Pearse Youth Section Gaelic football display (in front of Station Steps)
- 2:30 – 3:00 pm – Across the Moone – modern Irish Duo
- 00 – 4:00 pm – Giants Causeway – Irish Rock Band
- 00 pm Event Finish!
The official parade will be followed by other events at the Irish Centre and St Patrick’s Centre.
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“Engage and Celebrate”
Tony Lambe, Committee Chair for the parade added: “The St Patrick’s Day parade is a great chance for us to showcase our colours and the Irish culture which is so present here in Huddersfield. St Patrick is a really important figure for us, and the day’s events will represent his significance.
“Within the Irish community music plays an important role. As a DJ myself at the Irish centre, I got to see first-hand how people engage and celebrate the tremendous Irish songwriters in the community and we can’t wait to honour some of the most stand out songs as this year’s parade.”
Other St Patrick’s Day events
Leading up to Huddersfield’s parade there are also a few other events going on:
An Irish Welcome – CHOL Theatre. Friday 18, 7pm.
Short Irish History Walk – The history walk proceeds CHOL theatre’s ‘An Irish Welcome’. It will be led by John Lambe and leads into the play from St George’s Square at 6pm.
First Huddersfield St Patrick’s Day screening – On Saturday 19 March at 7:30pm, there will be a screening of the first-ever Huddersfield St Patrick’s Day Parade video from 2001 at The Irish Centre.
“A beloved tradition”
This year’s St Patrick’s day celebrations of Irish music and dance coincides with Kirklees Council’s work for the Kirklees Year of Music 2023 programme. The programme aims to bring people together and promote the music within Kirklees.
John Lambe, Parade Secretary, commented on the upcoming event: “We’re really excited to be returning for our 20th annual parade in 2022. This year we’ve had some great assistance from the council and associated bodies who have been really supportive with getting the event organised, in such a short space of time, given the change of Committee, which we’d very much like to acknowledge all their hard work over the years, in particular, that of former long-standing secretary or 21 years – John McLoughlin.
“Over the years the parade has benefitted from grant support from the Irish Government through its Emigrant Support Programme (ESP), with £4,500 having been awarded to the 2020 Parade, which has been carried over to 2022.
“This year, in addition, we are very pleased to announce that the ESP grant has been matched with a further grant of £4,500 by Historic England Huddersfield High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) Cultural Grant Programme, which is managed and supported by Kirklees Council, through a Consortium led by CHOL theatre. The HSHAZ covers the St. George’s Square Area, with the renovation of The George Hotel and Estate Buildings being its focus but also aims to raise awareness and revitalise the High Street, through its Cultural Programme too. We are very grateful for the grant support that both bodies have offered us and demonstrate the value of joint working and the commitment to celebrating Culture and Economic benefits too.
“Here’s looking forward to saying Hi! to our Huddersfield St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebration and bringing some Ceol Agus Craic to the Square.
Councillor Will Simpson, Cabinet Member for Greener Kirklees, said: “Whether you have Irish heritage or not, there’s a temptation to take part in celebrating St Patrick’s Day. It is a beloved tradition worldwide and more locally, in St George’s Square this year, we have the second shortest St Patrick’s Day Parade ever (or so I have been told!).
“Come along and celebrate with your family and friends, listen to music, have some food, dress in green, and let’s celebrate our Irish Heritage.”
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