Aid agencies to be Dublin parade marshals

Organisers of this year's St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin have confirmed that four of Ireland's international aid agencies …

Organisers of this year's St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin have confirmed that four of Ireland's international aid agencies have been appointed grand marshals for this year's event.

The unprecedented move to appoint more than one grand marshal is in "recognition and appreciation of the Irish people's overwhelming response to the recent Asian tsunami".

A representative from each of the aid agencies - Concern, Goal, the Irish Red Cross and Trocaire - will lead the 2005 parade.

The four representatives will be: Concern deputy CEO Paddy Maguinness, Goal chief executive John O'Shea, Irish Red Cross secretary general Carmel Dunne and Trocaire director Justin Kilcullen

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Festival CEO Donal Shiels said: "There is no better way to acknowledge the generosity of the Irish people than by having our main international aid agencies lead our national celebrations".

More than 500,000 people are expected to attend the parade next Thursday, March 17th. The worldwide television audience is expected to be more than seven million.

More than 3,500 participants will take part in this year's parade which starts for the first time ever on the northside of Dublin.

The parade starts at noon at Parnell Square north and will run down O'Connell Street, ending at St Patrick's Cathedral. The five-day St Patrick's Festival runs from Wednesday, March 16th, until Sunday, March 20th.