The Wild Irish Band in the Five Points St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The Wild Irish Band, directed by Jim Mills, will be warmed up more than usual for this year’s appearance in the Five Points St. Patrick’s Day Parade, March 19. The volunteer musicians will return from a week–long Ireland tour the night before their march through Five Points.

The band flies Delta International out of Atlanta’s Hartford Airport Friday, March 11, and upon arrival at Shannon Airport will receive the traditional St. Patrick’s Welcome by Irish Pipers.

En route to their accommodations, the band will visit Bunratty Folk Park, site of a 13th century castle which has an exact replica of a 19th century Irish village on its grounds. The streets of the reconstructed village are complete with shops and houses characteristic of more than 200 years of Shannon region architecture.

Musicians will be staying at Two Mile Inn Hotel in Limerick, a region once plundered by Vikings. After a good night’s rest and breakfast, they will tour Blarney Village in County Cork, where they will have the opportunity to climb 105 steps to the ramparts to kiss the world famous Blarney Stone. Later, they will visit Blarney Woolen Mills, known as much for fine Irish crystal, china, and quality apparel, as it is for woolens.

From there they will head to Dublin’s Montrose Hotel. From hotel headquarters, a daytrip is scheduled to Waterford, through County Wicklow, known as the garden of Ireland. They will visit the Waterford Glass Factory as they head on to Kilkenny, Ireland’s capital from 1293–1408. At Kilkenny Design Center, located in old stables attendant to a castle, they will see and shop for Irish arts and crafts being made on site.

Back in Dublin they will see city sites including Trinity College and St. Michan’s Church. That afternoon, the Columbia musicians will have free time to shop on Grafton Street. That evening they will participate in the Dublin International Music Festival at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

On the morn of St. Patrick’s Day, they will assemble on St. Stephen’s Green with floats and bands from all over the world. The Lord Mayor of Dublin’s Parade will take them through the heart of the ancient city, past the old Parliament buildings to the General Post Office, and on to O’Connell Street. The parade will end on Parnell Square.

The band has been rehearsing in the Dreher High School band room for their appearance in the international music festival and their musical march through Dublin. They will be joined on the trip by two young AC Flora musicians, Alston White, who plays trumpet, and Jason O’Quinn, a percussionist.

The band will barely make it back from Ireland in time to be Irish for one more day during Columbia’s St. Patrick’s Festival Parade through Five Points.