BRIDIE LYNCH, Paralympic medallist twice over, was Grand Marshal of this year's St Patrick's Festival Parade in Dublin. Ms Lynch won a gold for discus and a bronze for shot putt at the Paralympic Games in Atlanta last year.
From Donegal, she was one of 64 athletes who took home 10 medals from the games in 1996. The results set a record for an Irish Paralympic team, with six medals for athletics, two for swimming, one for equestrian and one for boccia (a form of bowling).
The premier award for best parade entry in Dublin was won by Macnas and Bailey's Irish Cream with their joint presentation "Deja Moo". The runner up was Bui Bolg from Wexford, for a smoke emitting, fire cracking Jonah and the Whale.
Palo O'Sea, a Colombian group which made its presence felt in Temple Bar over the St Patrick's weekend, was highly commended. Bailey's Irish Cream won a second prize for most imaginative sponsorship being "Deja Moo". The judges discretionary award was given to CAFE/North Inner City Communities and Philips for their collaboration, "Fly Breasail".
The chairman's special award was given to "Music and Myths of the Sea, Clare" by Pavement Arts and Telecom Eireann. It comprised a 24 foot high, 30 foot long replica of the Cliffs of Moher in Clare, accompanied by 120 children from the Burren area bearing blue umbrellas to represent the sea. Festival organisers were delighted at yesterday's relatively incident free turnout, with an estimated 400,000 people watching the parade.
The Government was represented on the viewing stand in O'Connell Street by the Minister for Tourism and Trade, Mr Kenny, while the Lord Mayor, Mr Brendan Lynch, led a contingent of city fathers and mothers.
The judges for the pageant were Ms Yvonne Farrell, chairwoman; Mr Paul McGrath, footballer; Mr John Fitzgerald, city manager; Mr Pat O'Connor, film director; and Mr Philip King, musician and producer
