Committee sees red as city lean on green for St Patrick's Festival

THE old adage, if you want a job done do it yourself, will be ringing true on St Patrick’s Day in Armagh next year.

As the dust settles on another year of saintly celebrations in the Ecclesiastical Capital, there has been much social media debate and derision surrounding the efforts of the local city fathers (and mothers)!

For the only city in the world to boast two Cathedrals bearing the name of Saint Patrick was decidedly lean on green when it came to the big day.

And the issue of flags and bunting, or lack thereof, in Armagh over a week-long festival has left locals red-faced and feeling the blues.

There has also been considerable angst too that a pre-parade ‘shindig’ in Market Street on March 14 was poorly attended in the scheme of things, with public criticising the lack of publicity for the event.

A press release on the council’s own website and carried in some local media had promised a “lively atmosphere” at an event “featuring electrifying performances from popular Irish bands The High Stool Prophets, Pure Blarney and The Reillys”.

Yet despite such a great line-up, many lamented the distinct absence of advertising ahead of such a grand occasion.

The Home of St Patrick Festival is organised by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

And the highlight of the big event is a parade organised by the local community.

And said parade organisers have taken to Facebook to address social media commentary across various platforms over streets bereft of bunting.

Thousands flocked to Armagh on March 17 for that parade but, other than the colours worn by visitors and floats and flags carried by participants, there was not so much as a string of bunting anywhere in the city centre along the parade route.

And the St Patrick’s Day Community Parade organisers say that ABC Council’s reasoned response for the situation was that the trappings associated with such an occasion - previously purchased for that reason - had in fact been lost! And then there were different stories emerging which added to the confusion...

Now, in a ‘could do better’ report card by the parade team, they have decided to take it upon themselves to ensure that Armagh is not found lacking next year.

Getting it off their chests on Facebook - and setting the record straight - the committee clarified its own position.

It stated: “There has been considerable debate on social media regarding the lack of street bunting in Armagh during The Home of St Patrick Festival.

“This has been incorrectly attributed as to soley being in the interest of the St Patrick’s Day Community Parade, whereas the issue is actually reflective of the festival as a whole.

“The St Patrick’s Day Celebrations Committee did request of the council for bunting to be erected, but not specifically for the parade. We feel that the whole festival deserves to be promoted and celebrated by the council to the best of its ability.

“Bunting certainly is a very visible sign of a festival in any town, and we feel that Armagh Council has regularly missed this opportunity to add colour to the Home of St Patrick Festival.

“This year we again made a request for bunting to be erected. Previously, council officials have told us that the bunting that was purchased specifically for the Home of St Patrick Festival could not be found.

“However, this year we were informed that bunting that predated the St Patrick’s bunting had been found and efforts were being made to put this bunting up.

“We have several councillors on our committee who all worked diligently liaising with council officials on this issue, but the decision not to erect bunting lies with the council as a body and not with any individual councillor.

“The reasons given by council for this are varied, however, we prefer to look forward and not back.”

So that said, the committee are, as stated at the outset, preparing to do it themselves!

They continued: “In previous years we would have dressed the town with colour, particularly along the parade route.

“We hope to address the situation next year and dress up the town appropriately to acknowledge the national and internationally recognised cultural significance of St Patrick’s Day.

“The community held a very successful and colourful parade this year and we intend to build upon it.

“We are already preparing for next year and among those preparations will include measures to dress up the town for St Patrick’s Day 2026.”

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council was contacted for comment in relation to the issue of bunting and publicity for the musical event at Market Street.

On the first instance, a spokesperson, in response, said: “With regards, to the bunting, council decided not to erect bunting in Armagh for St Patrick’s Day, consistent with recent practices.”

And in relation to the musical event, they added: “The Home of St Patrick Festival 2025 comprised a varied programme of top quality music, dance, talks, tours and food and drink events.

“The St Patrick’s Shindig live open air concert on Friday 14th March, featuring The High Stool Prophets, was one of the highlight events and was widely promoted with sufficient lead in time, across a range of online, print and broadcast outlets as part of the integrated marketing and communications plan.”