St Patrick's Day Parades 2003

[Loque]

Correct, it dates back to when armies went into battle with the colours, losing the colours was unthinkable. If anyone has ever watches the series "Sharpes Rifles" there is an episodes where this occurs.(I watch too much TV)

[LordFlash]

I think I heard of some regiment which lost its colours and they were disgraced untill they captured an enemies colours to redeem themselves,..... can't remember whoch unit or regiment it was,.... I think it was a british one in the napoleonic wars

[EagleEye]

They wanted € 6.5m for insurance to cover the parade in Ennis, according to the Irish times. This could be the last year of parades as we know them. A sign of the times i suppose. People claiming for everything and trying to screw us law abiding citizens....

[Fox]

Paddys day

In Galway we always wear Our Number 1's or the "Green Tuxedo" as we call it. It does feel weird not carrying a rifle especially in the barracks. Wish it was the FN we used for paddys though!!!!

[Thorpe]

Due to problems with insurance, Fermoys parade is restricted to just a foot parade no floots. So this will cause problems for us.
I never wamt to have the FN for paddy`s day the pain in your arms of my 1st one is something Im trying to froget

[Groundhog]

I always thought that parades on St Patrick's Day were a load of b*****ks. Do we really need to see the Corpo's tractors in a parade? Stay at home and enjoy the day off. And yes the colours are always escorted by two armed sergeants on parade, purely a ceremonial task now.

A piece of trivia is that the colour party only presents arms when the colours are being dipped on parade, they are not required to salute any officer or whatever toddling around the place, since it would distract them from the task of guarding the colours.

[Infy]

i enjoy the auld paddys day parade. i get a sense of representing my unit,area,community and family most of all. it lets people see that we dont go away to field nights to sit in the mess. it is one of the few chances we have of representing the df to the public.

[Bravo20]

Groundhog, it is the officers and all other military and garda personnel that are supposed to salute the colours (presuming the colour party contains the national colours). The national colours are not dipped (brigade and unit colours will be).

[Frank Aiken]

The national Colours are only dipped once, during a alter guard.
The bit about the colours being guarded, I dont think that any colours in any parade this year will have a armed guard. Should have in my opion, but wait and see.

[LordFlash]

Shiney Boots!

Since St Pats is almost upon us, what do people find the most effective way to get a great buff on their boots?

Kiwi or Guardsman?
Lighter, or no lighter?
One layer or two layers of wax?


and so on.....

[Loque]

Kiwi Parade Gloss, it's the best. 3 layers of wax with a lighter (I use a gas soldering iron with a flame tip). Maximum effect for a modest effort.

[ackack658]

I use a similar method, and there is nothing better to get a good shine, you can actually see ur face in them, however it does not last very long if you are using the same boots on the ground.

[Bravo20]

Kiwi, no lighter, the number of layers depends on how long it was since you last polished the boots.

[Bailer]

Kiwi Polish, a hot spoon and Loads of Elbow Grease. Polish them Properly every time and it will get better over a week or 2.

Ack ack do you not have a spare pair of Boots??

[ackack658]

Not yet, another pair is on 'The List'. The famous list is a list of things I need to buy or spend money on in the next few months. On this list are a laptop, a good mobile phone, pair of boots etc, you can see where I am going with this