CityLife

Main event: Manchester Irish Festival 2010

Fun at the 2009 parade

The week when it’s positively expected of you to spend at least one day on a liquid diet has arrived. Yes, it’s time to crack out that oversized green hat and novelty Guinness glass because St Patrick’s Day is looming on Wednesday, and the city is turning into little Ireland all over again.

As usual, this year’s celebrations actually kicked off as soon as March dawned, but there’s still 10 days of Irish-themed events to get involved in, from turns by Irish singer-songwriters to conferences on Irish politics and the famous St Patrick’s Day parade.

The festival is now so jam-packed with events that organisers claim it is the biggest such festival in Europe.

Traditionally held on the nearest Sunday to the day itself, the parade begins at the Irish World Heritage Centre.

The day starts with Gaelic mass at 10am, before the parade leaves the centre at 11.30am to make a three-hour circular trip around the city and town hall.

Now in its 20th year, the parade includes dozens of floats representing all the counties of Ireland, plus many community and school groups, and attracts thousands of spectators along the route.

At the front of the parade will be Greater Manchester Police’s mounted horse division and brass band group, while Roscommon Brass Band leads the main parade and all the 32 County Associations from Ireland.

Other highlights include the 2009 world champion Brass Band from Greater Manchester Fire Brigade.

The annual parade is the biggest event in the festival calendar, but is far from the only event worth checking out.

Highlights for Friday include John McNicholl’s appearance at St Kentigern’s Irish Social Club (£10) and The Henry Girls at M19’s Tradfest night (£5/£7), while on Saturday the National Irish Studies Conference at Manchester Town Hall discusses the Irish diaspora and the British occupation in Northern Ireland.

Mother’s Day is marked at the Farmers pub, on Burnage Lane, on Sunday with entertainment from Celtic Vibes and special treats for the mums, and numerous venues dedicate their evening parties to post-parade frivolity.

Throughout the following week, quizzes and socialising set the calendar, meaning that when St Patrick’s Day arrives on Wednesday, there’s a whole host of inebriated karaoke events to join in with, many bars also boasting live music (an appearance by The Indians at St Kentigern’s being among the most interesting).

Last but not least in the seven days ahead, The Union, on Stockport Road, puts on a darts competition on Thursday.

The fun doesn’t stop there, though – for anyone still able to party after the 17th, festivities go on until March 21.

Various venues and prices. See www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk for a full schedule, or pick up a brochure at Tourist Information Centres and Irish bars in and around the city.