St Patrick's Day parades: advice on traffic delays around the Causeway Coast and Glens area

Starting at 9.30am on the Tamlaght Road, Rasharkin, the first St Patrick’s Day parade will begin, ending at approximately 10.30am. This parade will move for roughly one mile at this location.

The second parade will begin in Kilrea at 11am from the Marian Hall on Drumagamer Road before moving to Maghera Street and Coleraine Street, before turning at bottom of Coleraine Street and back up to the roundabout on Church Street. Once round the roundabout, participants will move back up Church Street, before stopping on Diamond Road, then onto Bridge Street to disperse at the lay-by beside St. Conor’s School, to finish at approximately 12 noon.

A third parade will begin in Rasharkin at 11.45am starting at the Turnpike then Church Road, moving to Main Street, before stopping at Rogan’s Shop, onto Moneyleck Road and stopping again at Victoria House Care Home, before moving onto Bridge Street and Gortahar Road, and then dispersing at the Chapel car park for around 1.30pm.

The main St Patrick’s Day parade of the day will then begin at 1.45pm from the Chapel car park on Gortahar Road before processing along Main Street and Glebe Road to Bann Road, towards the Turnpike then onto Church Road, Main Street, Moneyleck Road, Bridge Street and back onto Gortahar Road, before dispersing back at the Chapel car park for approximately 5pm.

The last parade of the day will then begin in Dunloy at 5.30pm from Tullaghans Road moving to Main Street, before turning at the shop at the top, continuing on Main Street and onto Tullaghans Road for dispersal around 7pm.

In a statement, the Police Service of Northern Ireland advised both motorists and pedestrians: “Local officers will be on the ground to accommodate the flow of traffic throughout the day, but to avoid potential delays, please seek an alternative route for your journey where possible, if you are not planning on attending any of the outlined parades.”