‘Trump for Taoiseach’ on Clare Island

APPRENTICE Laura McCabe leaves her Leaving Cert aside to go on the campaign trail for Donald Trump on Clare Island.

Áine Ryan

Clew Bay outpost, Clare Island may be in Enda Kenny’s constituency but it was “Trump For Taoiseach” at the annual St Patrick’s Day parade. For secondary school student, Laura McCabe, the American primaries process is not a priority as she prepares for her Leaving Cert exams but her big mane of hair perfectly facilitated the distinctive coiffure. Her podium may have been a fish box on the trailer of a tractor but she smelt more of roses than anything murky as the convoy of floats convened at the community centre.     
Her older brother, Ian, who recently completed a PHd in science and just moved home from the United States with his young family, transformed the family truck into the “Clare Island Nasa Space Programme”. Rumour has it that he and his two sons, Tadhg (6) and Oscar (3) are planning to work on a programme to propel the Taoiseach and some of his ministers off to Mars.
Indeed the political theme pervaded as tractors and trailers were transformed into overcrowded A&E wards; the GPO in 1916; the banishing by St Patrick of minks. Meanwhile, a teetering canoe where a Joan Burton lookalike (aka islander Jane O’Malley)  looked rather precarious as she was transported along the winding road to the Cistercian Abbey.
Traditionally, the parade was led by octogenarian Paddy Flynn’s jennet which hauled a specially built carriage for Saint Patrick. The famous jennet’s passing meant that this year, Austy Burns led proceedings in his decorated quad.     
For co-founder of the annual event, Jane O’Toole, the parade ‘means so much to the community’.
“After the long winter this is such a social event for young and old. All the participants come up with such great political ideas. Then, of course, we have an evening of ceol agus craic afterwards,” she said.
Swedish-born resident, Anna Wettergren, said that the annual island parade always embraces contemporary themes in a fun way.
“It is always a great community effort by the young and old where the islanders natural creativity is used  to a great advantage,” she said.