I resign!

So tonight was officially my last night on the committee of the Medway St Patrick's day parade committee. It was a sad evening, but I know the time has come to move on. There are other projects that I would like to work on, and the time needed to put together a parade like this would mean that they would not see the light of day

After speaking with the new committee, I know that there are a lot of plans for the next year. It sounds very exciting, and I am sure that that the future of the parade rests in safe hands

Image credit: DuBoix

 So, what do I do now? It's very exciting, but I'm not sure which project to start first...
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Image sourced from Morguefile

Goodbye Saint and Scholar

It looks likely that the St Patrick's day parade will continue after this year's success, and for that I am glad. We've managed to build up a lot of momentum and contacts, and on the day there was a great feeling of community for everyone who joined in. I would love for this to continue, and for more people to join in. This parade has great potential to become one of Medway's biggest festivals.

Would you like to join in? The AGM is this Tuesday, 01 July at the St Mary's social club in Gillingham. It starts at 7pm. The committee will be discussing the ways forward for the upcoming parade for 2015.

However I will be taking this opportunity to step down from the committee. As much as I loved being part of the project during its first year, it really has taken over my life and I have a lot of other things I'd like to do. Spending some time on my writing is one of them!

There is also the matter of exploring Irish culture and history. As I've often been told, it is the Oileán na Naomh agus na nOllamh (Island of saints and scholars) and there is a lot to learn...

Seachtain na Gaeilge 2014 - An Ghaeilge Abú

Seachtain na Gaeilge, Irish language week, is an international celebration of the Irish language. Events to promote and celebrate the Irish language have been happening all over the world.

Banner designed by Candy Worf of Pinup Payback
Picture credit: SM Jenkin

The Seachtain na Gaeilge festival for this year runs from 1 – 17 March. We are celebrating this festival as part of the St Patrick's day parade celebrations in Medway, as recognition of how important the Irish language is. There will be Irish language banners,  and after the parade the cultural showcase at the St Mary's Social club includes Irish language classes for all levels.


Please note that entry to the post-parade event is by ticket only, to comply with fire safety regulations. To get your ticket, please contact the St Mary's social club.

An Ghaeilge Abú! - The Irish language forever!

Beatha teanga í ag labhairt - the life of a language is in it's use

So, the countdown starts. St Patrick's Day here we come!

Well, the last planning meeting of our parade group has just ended. It's taken us a long time to get here, but now we have almost no more time!

Image credit: Lily Lawlor Mottram

Medway's first St Patrick's day parade will stride out on Sunday, 16th March at midday. Our parade will will leave Smith's square in Gillingham and walk in a circle around the high street. After the parade, we will have a cultural showcase at the St Mary's social club in Belmont Road.

For more information, visit the website: Medway St Patrick Parade
Event listing on VisitMedway
Or find us on Facebook and Twitter

If you missed the interview on Fizzer's radio show, you can listen again here. Our interview starts at around 29 minutes in. Enjoy!

Drumroll, please! Leading our parade...

The Pentacle Drummers in action

 Excellent news!  We have secured the services of the wonderful Pentacle Drummers. They will lead our St Patrick's day parade, leaving from Smiths Square in Gillingham high street on Sunday, 16th March at 12 noon.

Will you join in our parade?
Come and enjoy the feel-good factor as Medway celebrates its first St Patrick's Day Parade! There will be music, dancing, hurlers, leaping leprechauns and more...

When the parade finishes, we will be addressed by the Mayor, Councillor Josie Iles. And after the speech, there will be a showcase of Irish culture at the St Marys social club, Belmont Road, Gillingham. Entry to the showcase will be by ticket only, tickets to be purchased direct from the club.

For more information about the parade see http://www.stpatricksdaymedway.org.uk/
Twitter birds follow us @paradeagogo
Or find us lurking on facebook

Louis Brennan - Headstone unveiling March 11th 2014

You are cordially invited to the Unveiling of Headstone at the grave of Louis Brennan, Inventor Extraordinaire by Irish Prime Minister- An Taoiseach Mr Enda Kenny T.D & Cllr Noreen Heston, Mayor of Castlebar, County Mayo

The unveiling will take place in St Mary’s Cemetery, Harrow Road, London NW 10 5NY
On Tuesday March 11th at 11.30a.m.


This event will include unveiling of plaque commemoration the work of Louis Brennan at Church, St Mary’s Cemetery and a Memorial service conducted by Mgr. Canon Thomas Egan the Chief Administrator, St Mary’s Cemetery.


A reception will be held afterwards at Flannery’s Bar Wembley High Road at 2p.m. (nearest tube/train Wembley Central.) R.S.V.P by March 4thb 2014 to Email: brianhoban78@eircom.net

Louis Brennan was born in 1852 in Castlebar, Mayo, Ireland. He died in Switzerland in 1932. After spending some time in Australia, Louis spent a lot of his time in Gillingham, living in Woodlands while his factory was near the Strand.

Please click on the image to enlarge it

St Patrick day parade - first meeting

So, it's our first planning meeting for the proposed parade tomorrow. We'll be meeting up at the St. Mary's social club from 7pm.

There are a lot of ideas, and a lot of people interested but it's a question of 1) where we will be allowed to go - will it be accessible to everyone? 2) How many people will be prepared to help with the boring admin work? and 3) Who will turn up?

I'm massively excited though.... the first of its kind in Medway...

Louis Brennan - inventor extraordinaire

Brass plaque showing one of Louis Brennan's inventions, Sapper's walk, Gillingham
Image credit: SM Jenkin

I wonder how many people who live in Gillingham know about Louis Brennan? He was a brilliant inventor who was born in Castlebar, and eventually moved to Gillingham (via Australia) to do his work.

His inventions included the dirigible torpedo, a monorail and a helicopter. Apparantly some of the money from his most famous invention paid for the alterpiece at St Mary's RC church in Ingram Road, Gillingham

I'll be investigating the information held at the Royal Engineers museum, maybe they'll have some information about his factory, that was apparantly near pier road.

Mayo libraries have an interesting  write-up about him here