Organisers of this Saturday's long anticipated St Patrick's Day Parades will have to 'sacrifice the game' says the Mayor of Co Kildare.
This Saturday, many St Patrick's Day parades around the county are clashing with the Ireland versus England rugby match in Twickenham. Joe Schmidt's side clinched a third Six Nations title in five years with last Saturday's 28-8 victory against Scotland.
Chairperson of Clane St Patrick's Day Festival says she has been inundated with calls from rugby fans since Ireland's victory against Scotland last Saturday, and England's defeat against France.
Mary Dunne, the founding Member of the 14-year-old festival in Clane, says she is not willing to change the 3pm start for the parade, just 15 minutes after the Ireland versus England game.
Street entertainers will be performing from 2pm.
Ms Dunne said: "There is nothing that we can do, people have asked us to cancel, we can't cancel it, we would never have cancelled it anyway."
Additionally, this year, Clane Parade will start from a different route. This year the parade will start at the Business Park on the Kilcock Road for vehicles and for all walking groups, Dental Options Car Park behind Centra Clane. The theme for the Clane Parade on St Patrick's Day is the swinging 60s.
Mayor of Co Kildare, Cllr Martin Miley Junior, will be attending Athy's parade this Saturday, the parade has been changed from its usual 3pm time to 1.45pm.
He said: "I wish Ireland the best of luck, it would be great to get the Grand Slam. We have tried to accommodate the match, but the organisers will miss the match and there will be a clean-up afterwards, the organisers will have to sacrifice the game."
In Newbridge, the parade will start at 12noon, as normal.
In Dublin city, the parade will start at Parnell Square from 12noon.
If you have a story or want to send photos or videos to us please contact the KildareNow editorial team. via our Facebook, via our email at content@kildarenow.com or on 045 409350 during office hours.