London has always been a hub of Irish immigration, with whole areas considered “more Irish than Ireland itself”. Over the last 5 decades, the identity of the community has evolved from a manual workforce in the 1950s and 1960s, to a community of suspect in the 1970s and 1980s, to highly educated professionals, working in the banks and businesses of the city today. As the community evolved over time, the London St. Patrick’s Parade and Festival grew from a small volunteer led religious procession to the spectacle we see today. At times thousands marched behind banners, while at others the streets lay empty and the Parade abandoned. Change and transformation reverberate across the stories of the Parade. From changing routes to changing faces and generations, they reflect what that meant for those involved as well as for the wider Irish community that call the city home.
Different Generations
The changes in how first, second and third generations of London Irish celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Different Generations
Ebbs and Flows
Memories of thousands marching behind banners to cancelled Parades in troubled times.
Ebbs and Flows
Routes
Year of Transition – 2002
The transition to the Greater London Authority’s support of the Parade as one of the Mayor of London’s 8 cultural events.