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Regimental Parade

On Tuesday morning the 7th of October, hundred's  of national & international  regimental ex -service men & women gathered  on the grounds of  Davitt College secondary school  in Castlebar,  the school principal Mr Joseph McGowan,  was on hand to  welcome them and  he extended  every possible hospitality  to  them.  Many of the retired  soldier's   were   senior citizens and a few were in wheelchair's  but that did not deter them, they was there  to take part and honour our forgotten war dead.  

They were preparing  to  parade  through the ancient streets of Castlebar, just like the soldiers going off to fight in the first world war, had done over 84  years before.

This was the opening event on the day of the official opening of the Mayo Peace Park, Garden of Remembrance.

Ably led by  the Castlebar Town Band,  they paraded out of the school  ground, with their flags and banners flying proudly in the wind,  up past the Old Military Barracks, and the ghosts of bygone day's, onwards they went up  via  Lucan Street,  a street where numerous families had lost  fathers, sons and brothers in that  horrendous war,  they then proceeded  up Main Steet, Ellison Street, Mountain View and down  to the Peace Park to thunderous applause along the route.

They were very impressed by the management & staff of Davitt College and how all the student's had formed up to clap them on their way and indeed join in on the parade. 

The parade went smoothly and they arrived at exactly  the right  time and were  able to take their seat's  to  be part of what was a unique once in a lifetime occasion. 

This selection of photographs mostly of which were  taken by Mr Anthony Ryan, captured the historical event and the give  an idea of the scale of the parade and the pride of the participants.