Barry
Upton and Derrick Kane give a rousing rendition of ‘Danny Boy’.
Derek Franklin
The first ever St. Patrick’s Day Parade along Beach Road
was almost a washout as the rain fell on the morning and early afternoon of
Thursday the 17th March.
St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, and the
anniversary of his death is celebrated by the people of the Emerald Isle,
and by those people of Irish ancestry throughout the world.
Deputy
Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh officially starts the parade.
It was several months ago that Derrick Kane, owner of the
Freedrop Bar on Pratamnak Soi 4, and Freedrop regular David Hamilton arrived
at the Father Ray Foundation with an idea that would eventually become the
first ever St. Patrick’s Day parade along Beach Road, and the first large
scale parade to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Thailand.
Sponsors of the parade were Tara Group Condominiums and
Mulligans bar - ‘Never Going Home’.
Many local bars had registered to enter a decorated
float, but as the arranged meeting time passed not a single float had
arrived at the starting point on the car park of Alcazar theatre.
But then the clouds parted, the sun shone through, and
within minutes a convoy of motorbikes, pick-up trucks and wagons arrived,
all decorated with the national flag of Ireland and almost everyone wearing
the traditional St. Patrick’s Day color of green.
Marching bands from several local schools also arrived
and the noise was deafening as they all tuned their instruments ready for
the march to start.
Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome was unable to attend the
opening ceremony, so Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh, himself dressed in the
traditional green, officially welcomed the participants and gave the signal
to declare the start of the parade.
Derrick
Kane, owner of the Freedrop Bar, gives advice to St. Patrick.
From Beach Road Soi 4 the hundreds of participants
walked, sang and danced their way towards Soi 12 where they turned left and
then left again onto Second Road. From there it was a straight walk down to
the finishing point at Alcazar theatre. Decorated floats came from several
bars around town, including the Freedrop Bar, Mulligans, Murphy’s Law, the
Irish Wolfhound, Sapphire Club and the Morning Star.
Youngsters from the Fountain of Life, as well as children
and students with disabilities from the Father Ray Foundation, also joined
in the parade, most of them bemused by the sight of so many people wearing
green clothes, large hats and singing at the top of their voices.
The Fountain of Life and the Father Ray Foundation are
the chosen local charities who will benefit from the proceeds of this event,
and the money will help to improve the lives of the many children under the
care of these two organizations.
This year’s parade will hopefully become an annual event,
and Pattaya will join the cities of Dublin, New York, Chicago, Sydney,
Boston and London as a destination where people of all nationalities, not
just the Irish community, can come together for a day of traditional fun and
merriment.
Ay, it
be time for a pint or two.
A
leprechaun was spotted in the parade.
Excited
participants in the St Patty’s Day festivities cheer on the passing parade.
One of
the many local marching bands that joined the parade.
The big
bikes lead the way.
Sister
Joan from the Fountain of Life also joined the parade.
Marching
bands from nine local schools were represented.
The
Father Ray Foundation had one of the biggest floats.
