Photograph by Cleavers

In New York, home of the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade, locals stand for hours along Fifth Avenue in support of every last leprechaun and his or her respective pot of gold. The thought of a much shorter parade, especially on bitterly cold St. Paddy’s Days, makes New Yorkers green with envy—for the citizens of Dripsey, County Cork, Ireland, that is.

The shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world took place last Saturday in Dripsey, as it has every year since 1999. The only departure thus far occurred in 2001, when a Foot and Mouth outbreak forced a cancellation of the parade. A 100-yard procession between two pubs, the Weigh Inn and the Lee Valley Inn, reverses direction every year just to keep things interesting. We’re thinking it probably keeps participants warm as well. Cheers!

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