WATCH: Service workers mark National Services Day with Limerick parade

THE SUN was shining and sirens were blaring in Limerick city as hundreds of service workers took part in a parade to mark National Services Day.

The parade started in Barrington Street at 2pm and moved through the city, ending at the Matthew Bridge on Rutland Street.

It is the second Limerick parade and the second parade to take place for the services since the pandemic.

Motorists advised of road closures for Limerick parade

Owen Medland National Services Day Board Member highlighted the importance of expressing our gratitude to our frontline workers:

“It is with great pride that we see the men and women of our state and voluntary services celebrated. They form the very best of the fabric of our society and this is their day. The public and services families can celebrate, commemorate and engage with Limerick's services personnel and equipment and with something for everyone we wish all in Limerick a happy National Services Day.”

Agencies including An Garda Síochána, Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel,Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA),  Limerick Fire & Rescue Service, Civil Defence, National Ambulance Service, NAS Community First Responders, CRITICAL Charity, Order of Malta Ambulance Corps, Limerick Suicide Watch, Irish Coast Guard (Killaloe Unit), Irish Prison Service, Blood Bikes Mid-West, Limerick Marine Search & Rescue, Tipperary Search & Rescue, Limerick Treaty Suicide Prevention, Irish Red Cross, Revenue Customs, Bumbleance – Children’s Ambulance Service all took part.

The Limerick parade was organised by Seán Horgan who works as a shift manager for the National Ambulance Service in Dublin & North East.

Michelle Meany from Raheen is a member of Treaty Suicide Prevention and she shared her advice to people thinking about becoming a service worker saying; “Just go for it, get involved in it and figure out which part you want to do. For Treaty Suicide Prevention we bring people out with us and allow them to get a feel for the group and show them what we do and my advice is if you like it keep going with it as it is really rewarding.”