Joanne O’Riordan, 19, has been selected by St. Patrick’s Festival to lead this year’s Festival Parade and in accepting this honour Joanne has become the youngest ever Grand Marshal. It is fitting that Joanne will lead out the parade as the youngest ever Grand Marshal as in 2016 the festival will celebrate the future as part of the Ireland 2016 programme for Youth & Imagination with the theme Imagine If…

This year’s Festival promises aworld class line-up of cultural events that will showcase all that is great about Ireland both domestically and internationally, creating a carnival atmosphere across the Capital.

Joanne follows in the footsteps of inspirational Irish figures, Nicky Byrne, Katie Taylor, legendary GAA commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, and most recently Brendan O’Carroll.

Source: St. Patrick’s Festival