Manchester's Irish festival in full swing for 19th birthday

MANCHESTER'S award winning Irish Festival celebrates its 19th Birthday this year’s so it’s a double celebration with more than 200 events at 100 different venues across the vibrant city

The Manchester Irish Festival is now firmly established as Europe’s biggest Irish Festival outside Ireland.

An estimated 200,000 visitors from all over Britain and Ireland will descend upon Manchester for the event which runs for 11 days, culminating on St Patrick's Day.

This year’s Irish cultural extravaganza is set to be the best yet, with a full programme of Irish culture, comedy, heritage, literature, music, sport and theatre. Over 100,000 visitors are expected to converge on the city centre for the St Patrick's Day Parade to greet the annual Parade.

Lawrence Hennigan the marketing director of the festival website said: “This year’s festival is a celebration of our achievements of last year working with Tourism Ireland to promote Tourism links between Manchester and Ireland. We were delighted to receive the Mayo Diaspora award from the Taoiseach, and to be named as the biggest Gathering organised by any group in the UK by Tourism Ireland.”

There will be laughs courtesy of the Irish Comedy Festival, plus art, dance and theatre events for all ages.

Other festival hubs include St Kent’s Irish club in Fallowfield, the Chorlton Irish Club in Chorlton, O’Shea’s Irish Pub in the city centre and the newly opened Irish World Heritage Centre in Cheetham Hill. Happy St Patrick’s Day Manchester!

For more information visit the festival website at www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk

St Patrick’s Day Parade Manchester

Date: Sunday 16^th March

Time: 12pm – 1.30pm

Mass in Gaelic at Irish World Heritage Centre start at 10am

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will line up on Queens Rd, starting at 12 noon from the Irish World Heritage Centre and will finish in Albert Square at around 1.30pm.

Route: Irish Town Way (11.30am) Queens Road / Cheetham Hill Road/Corporation Street / Cross Street Princess Street / Lloyd Street Town Hall / Albert Square.

SHOP TILL YOU DROP

This year’s Manchester Irish market will take over Albert Square for four days giving festival goers a chance to browse and shop for Irish fare. Stock up on Tayto Crisps, Clonakilty Black Pudding and Galtee Cheese.

Update your Irish Music collection or pick up books, clothing, jewellery, arts and crafts and souvenirs at the Irish Village Green. There are children’s rides and even visit a Leprechaun House top pop into, if you can fit.