About Project St. Patrick
A few words about us and what we’re about…
Project St Patrick began in 2010, after yet another bank holiday when our lovely town of Enniskillen felt like a ghost town. There was little for visitors to do, and locals were heading elsewhere to mark the day. Following a well-attended public meeting, a small (and slightly rag-tag) voluntary committee came together with a simple aim: to change that.
With plenty of goodwill — and a lot of begging, borrowing and scraping from supportive local businesses — we delivered our first low-key parade and fun day the very next year. Despite some early unease, by year two we introduced our flags policy, setting out clearly that St Patrick’s Day in Enniskillen should be a welcoming space for everyone.
Fast-forward to 2026, and Project St Patrick is now powered by around a dozen core volunteers, six of whom have been involved since the very beginning. Others have come and gone over the years, and we are genuinely grateful for every contribution made along the way — as well as the extra hands and goodwill we receive on the day itself.
What we are most proud of is the cross-community make-up of our group — and the micro-festival we have grown together. Our programme is intentionally small-scale, local and people-focused: live music, food and drink, storytelling, shared spaces and simple moments that create atmosphere rather than overwhelm. It’s about quality, not size, and creating something that feels authentic to Enniskillen.
From day one, our central goal has been to make St Patrick’s Day in Enniskillen a day for everyone. That ambition is also our greatest challenge.
Myths, misquotes and inherited perceptions — that St Patrick’s Day “belongs” to one side of the community — remain the biggest hurdle we face. Keyboard warriors are quick to judge without reading the programme or recognising the long-standing champions who make this celebration possible. But support continues to grow, and more and more people see the day for what it truly is: a chance to enjoy the bank holiday, come together, and make the most of everything on offer in stunning Enniskillen.
So, if you’re reading this and haven’t yet done St Patrick’s Day in Enniskillen — for whatever reason — we invite you to take a dander down to the Castle area. Soak up the atmosphere: the sights, the sounds, the flavours, and the simple joy of people having fun on a well-earned day off.
There is far more that unites us than divides us after all… and sure, wasn’t the big man probably Welsh anyway?