THE weather didn’t favour the organisers of last weekend’s 1848 Tricolour Celebration, but this didn’t stop a sizeable crowd from attending Sunday’s official flag raising ceremony on The Mall in the city. Commemorating the first unveiling of the Irish Tricolour flag by Thomas Francis Meagher at 33 The Mall, this year marked the third year of the festival.
Gilbert Lee Meagher, great great grandson of Thomas Francis Meagher, travelled from California to be in attendance for the weekend. Speaking at Sunday’s ceremony, Mayor of Waterford City Cllr Jim D’Arcy outlined aspects of Thomas Francis Meagher’s life and spoke of the origins of the Irish tricolour, mentioning the strong links between the Irish and French flags.
MC Nicola Beresford kept proceedings under way in the inclement conditions. Amhrán na bhFiann was performed by local ‘Voice of Ireland’ finalist Vanessa Whelan.
