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Thousands join city's St Patrick's Day parade

Grace Wood
BBC News, Yorkshire
BBC People walking in a parade hold Irish flags and the flags of Irish counties while walking through Leeds city centre.BBC
The parade travelled from Millennium Square along The Headrow and through the city centre

Thousands of people turned out to enjoy the St Patrick's Day parade through Leeds city centre.

The parade included floats showcasing dancers, bands and community groups, and was followed by live music in Millennium Square.

Thomas Ormesby, 75, who moved to Leeds from Co Mayo in Ireland in 1960, said the event was "unmissable".

He said: "We've moved to Bridlington now, but it's lovely to be associated with Leeds' Irish community. Leeds do a fantastic job. You can't miss this, it's part and parcel of my life."

A man wearing a black and green rugby cap wears a black puffer coat and a green rugby jersey. He has white hair and a white moustache and is smiling at the camera.
Thomas Ormesby moved to Leeds from Co Mayo in 1960

Mr Ormesby said he felt it was important to maintain his Irish identity.

He said: "It's still there in my heart.

"My wife loves the Irish accent, but what she does marrying an Irishman without the accent, I don't know.

"I can't lose where I'm from.

"I've taken my kids over to Ireland to show them where I'm from and where I lived, and they've taken their kids, my grandkids over."

Alison and her daughter Charlie, both from Leeds, were attending the parade to celebrate their Irish heritage.

Charlie said: "It's where we came from.

"My grandad came over from Ireland when he was 15 and created the life we are able to have today and I'm proud of that."

A man with short grey hair wearing a blue raincoat smiles at the camera. He is holding his daughter, a young girl with long blonde hair wearing a green coat and black top hat with a Guinness logo
Nigel moved to Leeds from Omagh 20 years ago

Nigel, attending with his daughter Eliza, was from Omagh in Co Tyrone and moved to Leeds to attend university 20 years ago.

He said it was lovely to be surrounded by so many other Irish people.

He added: "I just like the atmosphere and seeing so many Irish people here.

"There's a big community in East Leeds.

"I go to the Irish Centre and it's lovely in there."

An open-sided truck decorated with flags and balloons drives down The Headrow in Leeds. On the truck are dancers in green, orange and white.
The parade consisted of 11 floats, plus dancers, singers and tractors

Starting on Millennium Square at 11:00 GMT, the parade travelled down Great George Street before heading down Park Row and on to Boar Lane and travelled back via Vicar Lane and The Headrow.

Several roads in Leeds city centre were closed on a rolling basis between 10:00 GMT and 13:00 GMT.

The event was supported by Leeds City Council and the government of Ireland's Emigrant Support Programme.

It raised money for St Gemma's Hospice, an independent charity providing end-of-life care to the people of Leeds.

Event organisers thanked the Irish organisations of Leeds, which supported the parade, and staff from Leeds City Council's events and highways team.

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