Bodmin’s twenty-fourth St Pirantide celebrations will take place tomorrow (5th March), featuring the traditional parade and plenty of exciting highlights to celebrate all things Cornish.
The parade will assemble in the area of the Town Library in Lower Bore Street (from around at 10:45 am) for a 11am parade with Mayor, Cllr Phillip Cooper, to the accompaniment of a Cornish piper to Mount Folly where ‘Trelawny’ will be sung after the loudest ‘Oggy Oggy Oggy’ chants in Cornwall and some short speeches.
Once again, some 400 children from all of Bodmin’s schools and the surrounding parishes,
which includes: Cardinham, Lanivet, Lanlivery, Nanstallon and Luxulyan, join together for the
most important part of the day’s celebrations. In addition to taking part in the parade,
chanting, dancing and singing, they will be performing in St Petroc’s Church after the march.
Bodmin Lion Kevin Marshall, who chairs the committee which has been organising Bodmin’s
2024 St Pirantide Celebrations, said: “Bodmin will be the only place to be. What makes Bodmin so special is that our day is about the children who are a fundamental and important part of this town and great county’s future. Their enthusiasm is infectious, bringing Cornwall’s traditions alive in a unique way not seen anywhere else. The Bodmin Joint St Piran Committee is delighted to see the event grow year-on-year and include children from neighbouring parishes, united under the umbrella of being Cornish and celebrating our Cornish Patron Saint.”
As in previous years Bodmin is expecting to welcome Cornishmen and women from all
around the country to take part, and encourages everyone from the community to come along and take part in this unique celebration.
St Piran’s Day timetable
10:45am - Assemble Lower Bore Street, Bodmin outside the Town Library
11am - March down Lower Bore St, Fore Street to Mount Folly stopping at the Flamank Stone, accompanied by Cornish Piper and Grand Bard Mervyn Davey
Mount Folly - Speakers introduced by Bodmin Town Crier, Terry Williams.
Children’s Dance arranged by Alison Davey
11:30-11.40am - Children progress via Priory Park to St Petroc’s Church where they
will perform Cornish plays and songs.
12:45pm - Lunch for children in St Petroc’s Church.