Cork: Cork city and county is set to celebrate its patron saint in style on Monday, with preparations under way for a feast of floats, music and dance.Leading the day's celebrations to a sprinting start
"The Fast and Furious Dash" will see the city's fastest men and women line out for a 60-metre sprint.
The pre-parade tradition takes place at 1.20 p.m. outside the Metropole Hotel on MacCurtain Street, leaving cheering crowds a mere 10 minutes to catch their breath for the main event, due to start at 1.30 p.m.
Groups from across a wide range of the business sector and community will take their place in the parade line-up outside the City Library on Grand Parade.
In keeping with tradition, the Band of the First Southern Brigade will lead a dazzling display of vintage vehicles, puppets, majorettes and athletes as it makes its way up Patrick's Street and MacCurtain Street before winding down outside the Metropole Hotel.
A carnival atmosphere is currently to be seen and felt in the city, with Perks Funfair in Emmett Place providing entertainment for the large crowds arriving to the south for the bank holiday weekend.
It's not just the city that is caught in festival fever, with towns and villages across the county preparing their own celebrations.
A Caribbean-style flavour is set to dominate the parade in Mallow, in recognition of it being chosen to host a delegation of Aruban athletes participating in the Special Olympic World Games 2003 later this summer.
"As this is the Year of the Disabled and the Special Olympics, we have decided that our athletes and friends at the COPE Foundation take a special place in the parade," chairman of the Host Town Committee, Mr Noel O'Connor said of the parade which it is hoped will attract crowds from across the North Cork region.
The flamboyant Kaleidoscope theatre group of COPE will take its place amongst members of the Blarney Brass Brand, Thomas Davis Pipe Band and more, as they step it out from the Town Park at 2.30 p.m..
Macroom town is also planning for a visual spectacle on Monday, when over 1,000 participants are expected to march in its parade. As well as a string band from Philadelphia, pipe band from Boston and brass band from Italy, the festival will also consist of bouncing castles and a fire works display later that evening in The Square.