Louth County Council weighs in on Dundalk St Patrick’s Day parade cancellation

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

Louth County Council has weighed in on the ‘disappointing’ news that Dundalk will not host a St. Patrick’s Day parade this year.

In a statement, the local authority said it was “disappointed that the Dundalk St Patrick’s Day committee has decided not to proceed with the 2026 St Patrick’s Day Festival due to funding challenges.”

The council said it has “supported the Dundalk St Patrick’s Day celebrations for many years, providing financial assistance and in‑kind support to help ensure the successful delivery of the event. This support remains available for 2026.”

“In recent weeks, the council engaged with the Dundalk St Patrick’s Day committee to explore potential alternative arrangements for the 2026 festival. While these efforts did not result in a viable solution for this year, the council will continue to work collaboratively with the committee as planning begins for the 2027 festival.”

The council’s comments followed calls from the committee for an increase in funding.

A spokesperson told independent.ie that the cost of running the event in 2026 had spiralled to almost €60,000, and that 50% of costs would need to be covered by the council, with the other half raised from the private sector.

But Louth County Council stressed that “the Festival Grant Initiative for 2026 provides for a maximum grant of €8,000 for local and community festivals and events that contribute to the local economy and support tourism within the county. Over 60 festivals and events were supported in 2025 under the initiative.”

The statement concluded: “Louth County Council remains committed to supporting community‑led festivals and looks forward to continued engagement with the Dundalk St Patrick’s Day Committee for future celebrations.