Leeds St Patrick's Day Parade 2023: Ukrainian community joins march to remind people the war has not ended

Thousands of people joined the event on Millennium Square today, with colourful floats and displays from the Leeds Irish community including schools, sports groups and cultural organisations.

In attendance was also representation from the Leeds Ukrainian community, who were invited to take part in the parade last year too. Olga Callaghan, chair of the Leeds branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, said it was even more important to walk the parade this year. The war had only just begun in Ukraine when they took part last year and no one had envisaged it to have continued for a year, Olga said.

The 73-year-old added: “It's quite important for us to remind people that the Ukrainians and a lot of Ukrainian refugees are still here. There's more coming and the war is still continuing. it's just as important, if not more important, now a year on for people not to forget that it's still continuing.”

Olga said the Ukrainian community were excited to join in with the celebrations, especially children who may not have known about the tradition or how it is celebrated. She is thankful to the organisers for remembering the Ukrainian community and thinks with every event they are invited to, the community becomes a part of Leeds.

Olga said: “The kindness and support of the British public is just been tremendous. It's been unbelievable. We are a part of a bigger community in Leeds.”

St Patrick’s Day celebrates the patron saint of Ireland, who is said to have been kidnapped at the age of 16 and sent to Ireland as a slave before escaping and becoming a missionary.

The parade began at 11am from Millennium Square before travelling through Leeds City Centre and returning to the square at 12pm. Festivities continued until 4pm with a programme of live music and dance from the City of Leeds Pipe Band, Huddersfield Brass Band and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Pipe Band and other organisations.