WATCH: Limerick estate goes green for unique St Patrick's Day party

ALTHOUGH the city-wide St Patrick’s Day celebrations were called off due to coronavirus, smaller parties were held across Limerick.

At the Grange in Raheen, parents and children decorated their windows, and got together on the dot of three this Tuesday afternoon to say hello and mark our national holiday – while of course keeping a safe distance from one another.

It was the brainchild of Marlene Brosnan, who sent a message around to her neighbours to see if they could come together.

“We wanted to let the children know that although we are keeping a social distance with one another that it’s okay. We are in this together. It’s given us a nice distraction for the last 24 hours.”

Her neighbour Margaret O’Connor added: “We might not be able to go to a St Patrick’s Day parade today, but we can still decorate our homes.”

“What’s great about all this is it has gave the kids something to do today, to focus on. Our house was up since nine o’clock this morning painting and colouring. We hadn’t been able to prepare for St Patrick’s Day, we had other things on our mind,” she added.

Phil McNamara added: “I find with all the trouble and worries, it’s great we’ve all come together to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, to put on a bit of green, and basically, be normal – albeit with a bit of social distancing!”

Sounding a defiant note, she added: “We will prevail. As our president said, we will get through this.”

Sarah Corbett-Lynch, 13, said she would normally see her friends and neighbours in the Grange every day, but due to this outbreak, it’s the first time she has met them in a week.

Her friend Alva Duffy, 11, said: “Normally, we would be freezing cold standing in O’Connell Street at the parade. But today, we are just outside playing football. It’s a bit better!”​

Elsewhere, there was a huge community car parade around Annacotty and Monaleen to mark St Patrick’s Day. And other communities across the city also joined in the fun!