With just two weeks to go to Ireland’s Emergency Services weekend in Dublin, event organising group FESSEF are in the final stages of preparations for this year’s three-day event.
On Friday 8th September, a concert will be held in the Pro Cathedral by kind permission of his Grace, the Archbishop. Various bands from the various services around Ireland will perform at the concert.
Photo: Courtesy FESSEF Forum
The band of An Garda Síochána, the Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band and the National Ambulance Service Pipes and Drums band are all set to perform at the concert while the RTÉ Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra are also expected to perform.
Saturday is a big day for the emergency, voluntary and security services where they all showcase themselves and their services, their equipment and resources and it’s a proud day for many who will parade through Dublin as part of the FESSEF events.
Speaking to Emergency Times, FESSEF Chairman Seamus O’ Neill outlined to Declan Keogh what is involved this year. ‘This is our fourth year and it has become bigger and better each year. The parade will assemble at 11am on Saturday 9th in Parnell Square, where it leaves at 12midday, passing through O’Connell street, over O’Connell Bridge, into D’Olier Street and into Trinity College’.
(FESSEF Chairman Seamus O’Neill. Photo: Declan Keogh / Emergency Times)
‘From 11am to 4pm, each of the services will be on-show once again this year with a few more additions since last year. Last year’s event saw the biggest turn-out at Trinity College so far and this year is set to be even bigger again. Trinity College have been wonderful in supporting our event for the past few years and they have been delighted by the numbers of visitors, tourists and inter-service personnel who visited the emergency services day at the college last year and this year we aim to build on that and we have extra services coming on board too’.
Photos: (James Doyle / Emergency Times)
Saturday night ends the day with a Gala Dinner and while there are only a limited number of tickets available for the Gala Dinner, tickets sold out fairy quickly and anyone interested in attending are being placed on a waiting list. Senior Heads of Services, Officers and Commanders of services attend the Gala Dinner which is also attended by a Minister of State.
Photos: (James Doyle / Emergency Times)
This year’s Gala Dinner will mark a special memorial to the crew of Rescue 116.
All proceeds from the night go towards the nominated charities Bumbulance and O.N.E.
This year’s event will run into a third day which includes a Barbeque for all the volunteers, personnel and their families who have helped with the event so far. Seamus O’ Neill said, ‘We want to say a big thank you to all the people who helped out, attended or took part in the parade and this year we are putting on a barbeque for them, and it will be a day of celebration for everyone involved’.
LISTEN: Chairperson of FESSEF, Seamus O’ Neill speaks to Declan Keogh on EmergencyTimes.ie
