Moate St Patrick's Day parade award winners announced

Embracing the theme of community, the Moate St Patrick's Day parade united the town and its hinterland as vibrant floats graced the main street, the national feast day occasion well supported by the many onlooking well wishers.

The parade is renowned for its colourful float participation, numerous entries from local community and sporting organisations adding to the parade atmosphere.

Such float participation was duly recognised when the parade awards were announced this week.

Moate CCÉ claimed the 'Best Overall' float accolade, the 'Most Entertaining Float' award going to the Rashina Vintage Club.

Moate Walk and Talk/Sanctuary Runners Group were announced as the 'Most Vibrant Float' award winners, while Peadar's Bar claimed the 'Best Dressed Shop Front' accolade.

The 'Best Dressed Dog' honour was awarded to Cia and Iris.

Those who led the parade, the Ghostbusters, will also receive awards on the presentation night - Holly Clifford, Holly Evans, Freya Cutting and Laura Tracey, Daniel Henson and Lily and Oscar Meade.

The parade's main sponsor, the Grand Hotel, will host the presentation of parade prizes on a date to be confirmed in the near future.

The manner in which Moate was decked out for this year's parade was positively remarked upon by many.

Indeed, the local volunteers who erected bunting and flags throughout the town, including the centrepiece large Irish tricolour, were subject to particular praise.

Both local conversation and social media was dominated by compliments to the volunteers who work so hard to make Moate look its best each Christmas, Easter and St Patrick's Day.

One caller to the Westmeath Independent noted that the appearance of the town on the national holiday was the envy of many much larger towns around the country.