Irish Guide Dogs Announced as 2026 Grand Marshal

The Irish Guide Dogs has been announced as the Grand Marshal of the Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade, organised by Cork City Council. The charity, which is this year celebrating 50 years of changing lives, will lead the parade through the city centre with some of the cutest and fluffiest grand marshals the city has ever seen.

The Cork-based national charity has successfully partnered more than 2,000 guide, assistance and community dogs over the last half century with individuals and families across Ireland—empowering people with visual impairments and the families of children with autism with greater independence, confidence and quality of life.

The Parade on March 17 will be the highlight of the Cork St Patrick’s Festival which will take place from March 13 to March 17, as Cork celebrates its music, culture and traditions in style culminating with the St Patrick’s Day Parade.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Fergal Dennehy today said

‘I am delighted to unveil plans for the Cork St. Patrick’s Festival 2026, a five-day celebration running from Friday, March 13 through to St. Patrick’s Day. From the city’s historic heart to its emerging public spaces, Cork will come alive with colour, creativity and connection throughout this St. Patrick’s Festival.

One of the great highlights of this year’s celebrations is the appointment of Irish Guide Dogs as Grand Marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, as they mark their 50th anniversary. We are proud to honour an organisation whose life-changing work embodies community spirit, compassion and resilience.’

Tim O’Mahony, CEO, Irish Guide Dogs added

‘Being invited to serve as Grand Marshal of the Cork St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a tremendous honour for Irish Guide Dogs, made all the more special as we celebrate our 50th anniversary this year. For five decades, we have been proud to support people and families across Ireland, and to be recognised in this way by the people of Cork is deeply meaningful to everyone involved with our organisation. This moment belongs to our incredible clients, volunteers, staff, supporters and, of course, our amazing dogs, whose impact on communities nationwide continues to inspire us every day.’

Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals and Events at Fáilte Ireland said

"Fáilte Ireland is pleased to support St. Patrick's Festival Cork. Festivals and events like this showcase the very best of Irish culture, music, and entertainment, inspiring both domestic and international visitors to explore new destinations across the country. By investing in St. Patrick's Festival Cork, we’re strengthening Cork’s position within Ireland's Ancient East as a must-visit destination and helping to drive economic benefits for local businesses and communities across the county and wider region.”

The Cork St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Tuesday March 17 at 1pm, on the familiar route from South Mall to Merchants Quay. The Parade will feature over 3000 participants, Irish and International marching bands and theatrical showpieces from professional art groups Cork Community Artlink, Cork Puppetry Company and Spraoi.

This year’s festival embraces the theme ‘Marsh, Myth and Magic,’ inspired by Cork’s unique origins as a settlement built on marshland and enriched by centuries of folklore, stories and cultural tradition.

As well as the annual parade, the five-day festival will also showcase a specially programmed range of events organised by Cork City Council, in collaboration with venues and organisations in the city, and supported by Fáilte Ireland.

• Irish Women in Harmony will perform in St Peter’s on North Main Street on March 13. With sell-out concerts and acclaimed festival appearances behind them, this special showcase offers a unique chance to experience the movement inspiring a new generation of Irish women in music.

• Siblings Séamus & Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta will bring their stunning harmonies and their sean nós singing to St Peter’s on March 16. They were recognised as RTÉ Folk Award for “Best Emerging Artists” in 2024.

• Elizabeth Fort will be transformed into a Pop Up Play Zone as it hosts the Tailteann Games, a family-friendly re-imagining of Ireland’s ancient festival of games. (March 15)

• Playing in the Park will bring traditional street games to the newly renovated Bishop Lucy Park. Families are invited to explore playful zones across the park’s accessible levels, each with its own mood and activities. Included will be a special Sensory Play Zone for young people with additional needs. (March 14)

• Ceol Chorcaí will celebrate the city’s musical heritage and showcase some of Cork’s finest Comhaltas traditional musicians, singers and dancers in Cork City’s Concert Hall (March 14) while a Céilí Mór will take place in City Hall on March 15 led by Willie Hammond from the Cork Folk Festival. No dance experience needed.

• Coffee House Lates will take place on Friday evening March 13 as participating coffee shops stay open late in the evening, offering a variety of different activities including coffee mocktails, comedy and arts & crafts.

Throughout the Cork St. Patrick’s Festival, there will be trad music performances from the Lee Sessions, live music, guided tours, dance, comedy, exhibitions and family friendly events.

Festival brochures will be available in all Cork City Library branches, the Tourist Office and around the city centre, and the Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade will be streamed live on www.corkstpatricksfestival.ie on the day.

While many festival events are free, some require pre-booking. The full programme plus booking links is available on www.corkstpatricksfestival.ie.

Follow Cork St. Patricks Festival’s Facebook (@CorkStPatricksFestival) and Instagram Page (@CorkStPatricksFest) for all updates on the Festival and the Cork St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Cork’s 96FM, C103 and the Echo are the media sponsors of the Cork St. Patrick’s Festival