Get ready to shake your shamrocks!

Cavan 12.30pm Killeshandra 12.30pm Kingscourt 1pm Swanlinbar 2pm Bailieboro 2.30pm Arva 3pm Kilnaleck 3pm Ballyconnell 3pm Cootehill 3pm Ballyjamesduff 4pm Ballinagh 4.30pm People from County Cavan certainly know how to celebrate St. Patrick"s Day in style with no less than eleven parades taking place in towns and villages across the county this Tuesday. While the recession has meant the cancellation of many parades across the country, natives of Co. Cavan are spoiled for choice as to which parade to take in leaving the rest of the country green with envy. And if the weather"s good, it"s not unusal for Cavan families to do a tour of the county, starting perhaps with the Cavan town parade at 12.30pm and heading on to Kilnaleck for 3pm and maybe even Ballyjamesduff for 4pm. Traditionally, the biggest parades in the county are held in Cavan town, Kingscourt and Ballyconnell. But smaller towns such as Kilnaleck and Killeshandra are renowned for putting on a good show. And Cavan is so renowned for its excellent St. Patrick"s Day parades that many bands and floats try to take in as many parades in the county as they can in the day - not to mention the thousands of euro in prize money that is put up for the best entries and floats for the occasion. Cavan The first parade of the day gets underway in the county town at 12.30pm and the Cavan town St. Patrick"s Day Parade Committee is promising that this year"s parade will be bigger and better than ever with seven marching bands due to participate. RTE Television will be covering the Cavan parade this year and the Mayor Paddy O"Reilly will officially start the parade at Dunnes Stores on Main Street. A reviewing stand will be positioned outside the Ulster Bank on Main Street with local dignitaries in attendance. The Master of Ceremonies for the parade is Mel Doherty, while Martin Donohoe & Friends will be on hand to provide traditional Irish musical entertainment, while the Webber School of Dancing will dance a few jigs and reels. Sweets and minerals will be distributed to children. The parade will be led by a colour party followed by Support Company of the 56th Western Battalion Reserve Defence Forces, Dún Ú Neill Barracks, Cavan. The bands participating include the Bunnoe Brass and Reed Band, Cavan; St. Clare"s School Band, Cavan town; Clontibret Pipe Band, Co. Monaghan; Lisnaskea Accordian Band, Co. Fermanagh; Lisnaskea Silver Band, Co. Fermanagh; Maguiresbridge Accordian Band, Co. Fermanagh; and Dungannon Pipe Band, Co. Tyrone. Local businesses, voluntary groups, sporting organisations and schools are due to participate in the parade by providing floats or marching. To participate in this year"s parade, contact Margaret Kelly, committee secretary on 049-4361183 Killeshandra Meanwhile, the Killeshandra Parade will also set off at 12.30pm from the Ballyconnell Road. Over €1,000 in prizes is up for grabs for the best floats and entries on the day. Individuals, groups and businesses are welcome to enter. Entry will be on the day from 11.30am. Kingscourt The theme of this year"s Kingscourt parade is 1959. Floats, clubs and organisations participating are being asked to assemble no later than 12 noon. There will be a flag raising ceremony at 12.30pm in the town centre, while the parde will start at 1pm from the Mount St. Joseph"s area on the Dublin Road. Late arrivals will be positioned at the rear of the parade. Prizes this year include best dressed shop window, best industrial and business float and best turned out club/organisation and band. The children"s fancy dress will be judged in St. Ernans Hall, starting at noon. All entries will join in parade as it passes the hall. Four four bands will march in the Kingscourt parade, as well as lots of novelty acts. Late entries should contact the parade secretary at 042-9667421 not later than this Friday, March 13. Parking will be available in designated areas and be restricted in other areas along the parade route. Swanlinbar The first of the parades in West Cavan starts in Swanlinbar at 2pm. This is the third year that Swanlinbar has had its own parade. All participating floats should assemble at 1.30pm on the Creamery Road. The Bawnboy and Enniskillen roads will be closed from 2pm until 3pm for parade. Diversions will be in place. Prizes for best floats will be judged on the day. Bailieboro The new Bailieboro St. Patrick"s Day Parade Committee is promising a great family day out and it starts at 2.30pm. There will be prizes for best dressed window, best comedy float and best commercial/industrial float. All float entries are free. Attractions include Corduff Pipe Band, Clontribet Band, St. Josephs Band from Strabane. further details from TM Smith. Arva The Howard Memorial Pipe Band from Dungannon, County Tyrone will lead this year"s St. Patrick"s Day Parade, starting at 3pm. The committee is still accepting entries for the parade, however, and is encouraging more pageantry and street theatre, as well as the participation of the local schools. The committee request that any member of the community wishing to help with stewarding to give their names to Ronnie Duke on 087-2524603. A meeting will take place on Monday night next, March 16 at 8pm in St. Patrick"s Hall to finalise arrangements. Ballyconnell Back to the Future is the theme of this year"s Ballyconnell parade, which gets underway at 3pm from Rathkellan. Attractions include vintage cars, floats, pipe bands, dancers, St. Patrick"s himself of course and much more. Kilnaleck As ever, Kilnaleck is gearing up for a colourful parade. It will start at 3pm taking its usual route with many floats, attractions and prizes promised. Cootehill The Cootehill parade will start at 3pm from Bridge Street with the Drumlin Hounds leading the parade. The committee is promising the most colourful and entertaining parade for years with attractions including the Dernakesh petfarm, cartoon characters and giveaways and prizes galore. This year"s grand marshall is community leader Padraig McNally. Street entertainment will include a bands before and after the parade. A special presentation will also be made to the to All-Ireland basketball champions, St. Aidan"s. Ballyjamesduff The Ballyjamesduff Parade will start at the Mart Yard on the Granard Road at 4pm with many of the entries participating in the earlier Kilnaleck parade expected to march again here. Due to new traffic calming system all participants asked to limit entries to two vehicles. Ballinagh The Ballinagh St. Patricks Day Parade concludes the day"s parades across the county and it will start at 4.30pm. It"s not too late to enter a float in the parade and any interested groups should contact Phil on 087-4115025. All floats should meet in the Community Hall car park at 4pm. There will be four prizes on the day for the best floats in the following categories: most topical, most humorous, most traditional and most cultural. Entertainment Meanwhile, the Nyah Festival is underway for the St. Patrick"s Day festival with seisiúns across the county. For details of a range of entertainment across St. Patrick"s weekend and St. Patrick"s Day, see our entertainment section on pages 42 and 43.