Kilkenny

<h4>Grand Marshal and New Junior Grand Marshal Announced</h4>
<p>Rás na mBan winner and Kilkenny woman Mia Griffin, will be the Grand Marshal and lead the Parade on St. Patrick's Day 2025. Mia Griffin is an Irish road and track cyclist with the Irish national team, and was part of the Irish cycling team at the Paris Olympics in 2024. The Glenmore-born local hero is the first Irish winner of Rás na mBan in over a decade.</p>
<h4>Ms. Griffin commented,&nbsp;</h4>
<p>"It is a great honour to be Grand Marshal in my home county, and it comes with great pride. I am looking forward to being in Kilkenny at the Parade and will enjoy every minute of the experience."&nbsp;</p>
<p>For the first time, St. Patrick's Festival Kilkenny has announced a Junior Grand Marshal for the cultural celebration. Enya Cox Dempsey, hailing from Castlecomer, has already won the Junior Eurovision Éire 2024, aired on TG4 in 2024, at just 14 years of age, and represented her country at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Madrid with her Irish-language song Le Chéile!</p>
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<h4>Enya shared her thoughts on being named the first Junior Grand Marshal in Kilkenny:</h4>
<p>"It's truly an honour and a privilege to be the Junior Marshal of the St. Patrick's Day Parade for the first time this year. It's so lovely to be doing something locally in my home County. I wish you all a very happy St. Patrick's Day, and I hope to see you there!"</p>
<h4>Festival Chairperson and Mayor of Kilkenny Municipal District, Cllr. Andrew McGuinness commented;</h4>
<p>"We are delighted to have two accomplished Kilkenny women leading our Grand Parade this year. They have done their County proud on a national stage, and we couldn't think of better representatives to lead this year's celebration."&nbsp;</p>
<h4>St Patrick's Festival Kilkenny</h4>
<p>The 2025 St. Patrick's Festival Kilkenny is a four-day spectacular with 120 events throughout the city from March 14th to March 17th. Festival organisers expect 100,000 people to attend the events in Kilkenny. It will see the return of festival favourites: the market, street theatre and fireworks, and exciting new offerings. The weekend culminates in the big spectacle, the St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 17th, and two days of free live music and performances on the festival stage.</p>
<p>Fáilte Ireland identified six locations outside the capital as part of an initiative to position Ireland as the only place for overseas tourists to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Kilkenny, along with Cork, Killarney, Waterford, Sligo, and Limerick were selected, all uniquely showcasing Irish culture through their individual St. Patrick's Day celebrations.</p>
<p>The joint launch with Kilkenny Tradfest took place on Thursday, February 20th, in Paris Texas, in the city centre.</p>
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<h4>Speaking at the launch of St. Patrick's Festival Kilkenny 2025, Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals and Event Fáilte Ireland said,</h4>
<p>"Fáilte Ireland is pleased to support St. Patrick's Festival Kilkenny again this year and we look forward to welcoming visitors from all over the world to celebrate our national holiday. Kilkenny's rich heritage, vibrant cultural scene, and outstanding festival programming make it a key destination for visitors seeking an authentic and unforgettable Irish experience.</p>
<p>"Festivals and events are a key component of Ireland’s tourism offering and they provide unique and compelling reasons for a visitor to choose a destination. They also have the ability to drive footfall for local businesses, supporting jobs, and revenue generation. We are proud to work alongside Kilkenny County Council to bring this celebration to life and ensure that visitors from near and far can experience the magic of St. Patrick's festivities in the heart of Ireland's Ancient East."</p>
<h4>Mayor of Kilkenny Municipal District, Cllr. Andrew McGuinness commented:</h4>
<p>"We are incredibly grateful for the support of Fáilte Ireland, whose backing allows us to elevate St. Patrick's Festival Kilkenny, and attract new visitors from across Ireland and beyond. Building on last year's success, we look forward to welcoming even more visitors to Kilkenny in 2025."</p>
<p>For the full line-up and more information, visit <a href="https://stpatricksfestivalkilkenny.com/" target="_blank">St Patrick's Festival Kilkenny.</a>&nbsp;</p>
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Grand Marshal and New Junior Grand Marshal For Kilkenny St Patricks Parade

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