The Macnas Parade: Cnámha La Loba took place on the streets of Dublin for the first time since 2019 as part of this year’s Bram Stoker festival.
The festival, which is now in its tenth year, celebrates the life and work one of Ireland’s most beloved and iconic writers.
This festival was produced by Schweppe Curtis Nunn and brought to life by Dublin City Council.
One of the highlights of this festival was the Macnas Parade which drew in thousands of spectators despite the rainy weather.
The parade, which was directed by James Riordan, tells the story of La Loba, a wild wolf-woman, who wanders the world collecting bones and preserving that which is in danger of being lost to the world.
It is said that, as darkness falls, she prowls the streets along Lough Corrib, singing the bones – or “cnámha” in Irish – back to life by the light of the moon.
The parade started at 7pm in Moore Street, turned onto Henry Street and travelled up to Mary Street, then turned right onto Capel Street, then left onto Little Britain Street and left again to finish on Halston Street. The parade lasted just over an hour.
St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland is one of celebration and fun, a time to spend together with friends and family and the one day you’re allowed to break lent. St. Patrick’s Day is a day filled with traditions and superstitions. St Patrick’s Day in Ireland is a day to celebrate our heritage and be proud to be Irish.
The Parade
Every Irish household knows about the St. Patricks day parade, and if they don’t they are not truly Irish! If you are not going to attend the parade then you are most likely sitting at home watching it on the television. Every year, RTE film the parade from start to finish. David Fallon who blogged live from the parade last year describes the parade in his own words, “I remember an Irish wolfhound the size of a bungalow trotting in front of the tooting Boston bands, and youngsters peering over their parents’ head via makeshift ladders. Everyone in the crowd had two things in common- green gear and smiles”.
Themes
Each year the parade is based around a specific theme that is evident throughout the parade. In 2014 the theme was ‘Let’s Make History’. This year the theme will explore the ‘Present’ with the theme for 2016 being ‘Future’.
Céilí dance
Céilí dancing is a popular form of folk dancing that is practiced predominantly in the Gaeltacht areas. But around St.Patrick’s day schools across the country begin to hold Céilí dances and teach the students popular Céilí dances.
Music
The culture of Irish music is being forgotten along with the Irish Language. St. Patrick’s Day is vital for the survival of Irish folk music. The Pogues and The Dubliners version of Irish Rover is a traditional St Patrick’s day song along with “Some say the Devil is Dead” written by Derek Warfield, who is an Irish Singer, songwriter and the founding member of the music group the Wolfe Tones. “Molly Malone” and “The Fields of Athenry” are two very popular Irish songs that are sung or played in the majority of Irish pubs on St. Patrick’s Day.
Drinking
St. Patrick’s Day is the one day of the year when it is considered acceptable to get very drunk. Family members gather together to have dinner and a few pints in pubs across Ireland to chat about the Parade and hear bands play traditional Irish Music.
St. Patrick’s Day is a very sociable day, family member’s gather to attend the parade. There are a lot of activities taking place on St. Patrick’s Day including; face painting, many performances by hip-hop groups as well as traditional Céilí dancing. The day begins with getting the kids dressed up for the parade, but ends with a few pints of Guinness in the local pub.
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