The Sligo St. Patrick’s Day Pageant upholds the traditions of all great carnivals that revel in undermining, if just for one day, the boundaries of authority. Street jesters, face-painters, green revellers and masked impersonators join in a mệlée of Irish compatriots, from all over the world, who flock to the celebration. The parade is led by St. Patrick, Ireland’s emblem of Christianity, while the revellers that follow display equal respect for the mythological past and ancient pagan traditions.