Dublin off-licenses delay alcohol sales post parade for a family friendly St. Patrick’s Day. National rules also adjusted.
Dublin will have alcohol sale rules. City center off-licenses agreed to this. They will delay sales until after the parade. This helps the Garda public safety plan. The Garda wants a family-friendly day.
Chief Superintendent McMenamin said this is important. Shops have posted notices before. These told of delayed alcohol sales. A Spar store notice said sales start at 4 PM.
They apologized for any issues this caused. Nationally, different rules exist on St Patrick’s Day. Alcohol sales usually start at 10:30 AM. On March 17, sales start at 12:30 PM.
Off-licenses can sell alcohol from 12:30 PM until 10 PM. This is two hours later than usual. Some stores might have their own rules. They may delay sales even more. Some might open later or close early. This allows staff to enjoy the day.
Citizens Information has rules for alcohol sales. Off-licenses sell alcohol at set times. They can sell from 10:30 AM to 10 PM Monday to Saturday. On Sundays and St. Patrick’s Day, it’s 12:30 PM to 10 PM. Pubs and restaurants can open as usual.
They can serve alcohol from 10:30 AM to 11:30 PM. Nightclubs have later hours. They can serve until 2:30 AM.
Galway chose Sharon Shannon for Grand Marshal 2025. She’s a traditional Irish music star. Mayor Peter Keane said they are thrilled. The Mayor added she is a perfect representative.
Her music preserves Irish culture. The parade starts at 11:30 AM on March 17. It goes from University of Galway. It ends at the Dyke Road Car Park. Roads close from 11 AM to 2 PM.