Relaxed parade space ready on Navan route

A special effort is being made this year to accommodate neurodivergent or autistic children and adults at the Navan St Patrick's Day Parade.

Neurodivergent Navan and the Navan Shamrock Festival have come together to provide a Relaxed Parade Space, during this year's parade.

Located at Canon Row, the Relaxed Parade Space will offer neurodivergent people and their families a safe space away from crowded streets to view and enjoy the parade in a more relaxed environment.

"Families with neurodivergent children and adults very often have to stay at home on St Patrick's Day, because there is so much hustle and bustle," explains Eva Burke of Neurodivergent Navan.

"Parades don't tend to be neurodivergent friendly, there is so much unpredictability. This is tough on people who are neurodivergent, but also on their siblings and families who also miss out."

Eva explains that one of the main objectives of Neurodivergent Navan is to improve the daily lives of neurodivergent people and their families by breaking down the barriers that many people face.

"We approached the Shamrock Festival earlier this year to see if the parade could be inclusive for everyone and they were very keen to see how they could support us, so now we are having Navan's first ever Sensoryy or Relaxed Parade," she says.

The relaxed space will be in Canon Row, away from the other crowded streets, so it can be viewed in a relaxed environment.

"We have asked the floats to keep noise to the minimum as they pass through Canon Row, so it will be much calmer.

"We will be providing a visual guide to families in advance of the parade so that they can plan and prepare. We have a YouTube Channel and a video of the street will be put up before the parade so people can see ahead what it will be like."

There will be sensory packs provided to the neurodivergent people attending, which will include fidget toys to help with any stress or anxiety.

"All the parade staff have been trained to make sure the needs of neurodivergent people are understood and supported as much as possible on the day."

Canon Row will be a pre-registered reserved space and families who wish to avail of the Relaxed Parade Space must register via email to info.neurodiversitynavan@gmail.com

"It will mean that a lot of families will now be able to attend a St Patrick's Day Parade for the first time ever,” says Eva.”