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Failte- Welcome

Welcome everybody to Luton’s 6th Annual St Patrick’s Festival/Parade. A special welcome etc the Mayor of Luton Cllr D Hinkley, Mayor of Houghton Regis, Cllr S Gilchrist, and the Mayor of Dunstable Cllr J K Fairbairn and Mr M Lonergan (Irish Embassy).

Once again we are putting on a wide range of events this year. The Festival opens in the Library Theatre on Thursday 10th March with dance group from Ireland (SHAYLYN) from Co Leitrim, give them 2 hours of your time and they will give you 4000 years of Irish Musical history.

Leading this years Parade is one of the finest pipe bands in the UK- The Luton University Pipes Band. We are proud to have the Luton Band lead the Luton Parade. We also extend a warm welcome to the Harpenden Pipe Band, The St Alban’s Majorettes who are joining us for the first time this year. They will be supported by other Bands and Associations, Stilt walkers etc. The Arndale on Sunday 13th and St Patrick’s Day 17th will come alive with music, song, dance, no matter what the weather is doing. The Festival closes on the 19th March with an evening of comedy music, song and dance with Niall Toibin topping the bill at St Joseph’s Parish Centre.

The St Patrick’s Festival is a triumph for teamwork with the Irish sporting, cultural and community organisations working closely with its friends in Luton Borough Council, Bedfordshire Police, and the Arndale Centre. Our thanks too, to business at local and national level. We have all combined together and hopefully as a result the whole community in this region will have an opportunity of enjoying a great Festival of Irish culture and entertainment.

We are proud of our contribution to our town’s cultural calendar as well as out general contribution to the life of Luton and the surrounding area. The Festival will bring a splash a colour, music song, dance and a bit of craic to the streets of Luton and the Arndale Centre.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped in any way in organising the Festival.

A special thank you to our sponsors and advertisers and to thoe individuals who made generous personal contributions towards financing the Festival. Without their support the Festival could not take place.
Finally thank you to the St Patrick’s Festival Committee who have freely given up their time and worked long and hard to make this Festival special for Luton. Slainte and a happy St Patrick’s Festival to each and every one of you

Michael Maguire
St Patrick’s Festival Chairman