Thousands Turn Out As Keady Hosts AOH Parade For First Time In More Than 60 Years

Keady welcomed an Ancient Order of Hibernians parade on Sunday for the first time in more than 60 years, with thousands of spectators turning out to watch 24 bands take part.

The parade, organised by the Keady AOH, marked the return of an AOH parade to the town for the first time since 1959.

A Long-Awaited Return

Bands gathered from 3pm at the Gerard McGleenan GAA Park before setting off through Keady and finishing at the Tommy Makem Centre.

The parade brought together 24 bands, with accordion, flute and pipe bands travelling to the town to take part.

Among the bands on parade were Sarsfield Accordion Band, St Patrick’s Accordion Band Corran, Ballymartin Flute Band, Brantry Pipe Band, Carlingford Pipe Band, St Naul’s Pipe Band, Clontribet Pipe Band and Banna Piob Na nGael Pipe Band.

Thousands of spectators gathered along the route as the bands made their way through the town, with crowds also attending at the Tommy Makem Centre following the parade.

Organisers described the return of the parade as “a very special occasion for the town”, marking the first AOH parade in Keady since 1959.

They added: “Everyone was welcome to come along, enjoy the music and support what proved to be a fantastic day in Keady.”

24 Bands On Parade

The large line-up provided plenty of variety for spectators, with bands from different traditions travelling to Keady for the event.

The participating bands included accordion bands, flute bands and pipe bands, giving the parade a varied musical programme as they travelled through the town.

For the bands involved, the parade also provided an opportunity to perform in front of a large crowd and take part in an event marking the return of the AOH parade to Keady.

Thousands Line The Streets

The turnout was one of the most notable features of the afternoon, with thousands of spectators attending across the parade route.

The crowds gathered along the streets as the bands passed through Keady, before many continued on to the Tommy Makem Centre for the remainder of the afternoon.

The event brought visitors into the town from outside the local area, with bands travelling from a number of locations to participate.

Music At The Tommy Makem Centre

Following the parade, the Tommy Makem Centre hosted an afternoon of music and entertainment for participants and spectators.

The centre provided a venue for the celebrations to continue after the bands had completed the parade route through the town.

The event marked a significant return for the AOH in Keady, which had not hosted an AOH parade for more than six decades.

Keady last hosted an AOH parade in 1959, making Sunday’s event the first such parade in the town in 67 years.

The town had also previously hosted a major Hibernian gathering in 1945, according to the organisers.

With 24 bands taking part and thousands of spectators lining the streets, the Keady AOH parade provided a large-scale return for an event which had been absent from the town for more than six decades.