St Patrick's Day: Jersey begins weekend of celebrations

  • ITV Channel's Megan Murphy grabbed her shamrocks and joined the party

St Patrick's Day celebrations are returning to Jersey this weekend, with parades, music and dancing planned across Friday, Saturday and Sunday (17, 18 and 19 March).

On Friday morning, members of Jersey's Irish community gathered for a 'blessing of the Shamrock' mass in St Mary's and St Peter's Church.

The mass was followed by a reception in the Assembly Room of the Town Hall, with a lunch and live music throughout the afternoon.

The island's Irish community began celebrations today (17 March). Credit: ITV Channel

Pauline Power, Chair of the Jersey Irish Society hopes that this year's celebrations will bring the whole island together.

She said: "The aim of the society is really is to raise the profile of the Irish community, keep our heritage going, but it's really good to see the enthusiasm for the event and St Patrick's Day.

"So to be able to recreate some of that, it is absolutely a taste of home and I think it's exactly the same for everyone else whose here today.

"There's been shouts as you've been walking across the floor 'Happy St Patrick's Day!' and it's just lovely to hear it and keep it alive in Jersey."

A marquee in St Helier's Parade Gardens is open from 12pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and is free to enter.

DJs, Irish dancing and food and drink will all be on offer, with last orders at 10:30pm.

A grand parade through the streets of St Helier will set off at 11am on Saturday from the West Centre.