Enniscorthy Flood Heroes to Lead St Patrick's Day Parade as Town Honours Slaney Rescue Volunteers
The volunteer crew of the Slaney Search and Rescue team have been named Grand Marshals of Enniscorthy's St Patrick's Day parade, in a deeply moving tribute to the men and women who risked their own safety to evacuate families from flood-stricken homes along the River Slaney during January's catastrophic flooding in Co. Wexford.
Background
The flooding that struck Enniscorthy in January 2026 was among the most severe the town had experienced in living memory. The River Slaney burst its banks following days of relentless rainfall, inundating streets in the town centre and surrounding residential areas. Families were trapped in their homes as water levels rose rapidly, with some properties on lower-lying streets submerged to first-floor level within hours of the initial breach.
The Slaney Search and Rescue team, an entirely volunteer-run organisation, was among the first emergency responders on the scene. Working alongside the National Ambulance Service, Wexford County Fire and Rescue, and members of An Garda Síochána, the crew deployed inflatable rescue craft to reach residents who could not safely evacuate on foot. Among those rescued were young children, elderly residents, and individuals with mobility difficulties who had been unable to leave their homes unaided.
The flooding caused significant damage to homes and businesses across the town, with many families displaced for weeks or months while properties were assessed and repaired. The event prompted renewed calls for investment in flood defence infrastructure along the Slaney corridor, a conversation that has been ongoing in Wexford for more than a decade following previous flood events in 2009 and 2015.
Key Developments
The decision to name the Slaney Search and Rescue team as Grand Marshals of the St Patrick's Day parade was made by the Enniscorthy parade committee in recognition of the crew's extraordinary service during the January emergency. In an unusual and particularly poignant gesture, the committee also extended the honour to the flood victims themselves — the families who lost their homes and belongings — as a celebration of the community's collective resilience in the face of disaster.
The announcement has been warmly received across the town and throughout Co. Wexford. Local elected representatives, community groups, and residents have praised the decision as a fitting and heartfelt way to acknowledge both the selflessness of the rescue volunteers and the strength of those who endured the flooding's aftermath. The parade, scheduled for March 2027, is expected to draw one of its largest crowds in recent years as a result of the announcement.
The Slaney Search and Rescue team operates entirely on a voluntary basis, with crew members drawn from a wide range of professional backgrounds across the Enniscorthy area. The organisation relies on fundraising and community donations to maintain its equipment and training programmes, and the recognition has already prompted a renewed wave of public support for the team's ongoing work.
Why It Matters
The decision to honour the Slaney Search and Rescue team in this way speaks to something fundamental about how Irish communities respond to crisis. Unlike formal state recognition — which, while valuable, can feel distant from the lived experience of an emergency — the parade Grand Marshal honour is an act of communal gratitude, chosen by the people of Enniscorthy for the people of Enniscorthy. It is the town saying, in the most public way it knows how, that it remembers what happened and it remembers who showed up.
Volunteer rescue organisations across Ireland operate in a space that the state cannot fully occupy. They are present in the critical minutes and hours before larger emergency services can mobilise at scale, and their local knowledge — of river channels, of which streets flood first, of which households are most vulnerable — is irreplaceable. The Slaney team's actions in January almost certainly prevented fatalities. That this is being acknowledged not through a formal award ceremony but through the most visible public event in the town's calendar is a meaningful distinction.
The inclusion of flood victims as co-Grand Marshals is equally significant. It resists the tendency to frame disaster narratives purely around heroism and instead acknowledges the dignity and strength of those who suffered. This is the third major flood event to affect Enniscorthy in seventeen years, and the community's response each time has been characterised by solidarity rather than despair. That spirit deserves to be celebrated as much as any individual act of bravery.
Local Impact
For the families who were evacuated from their homes along the Slaney's lower reaches — particularly in the Templeshannon and Weafer Street areas, which bore the brunt of the January flooding — the announcement carries deep personal significance. Many spent weeks in temporary accommodation provided by Wexford County Council while their properties were assessed and dried out. Some are still in the process of repairing flood damage six months on.
The recognition has also given a significant boost to the Slaney Search and Rescue team's fundraising efforts. The organisation has reported a marked increase in donations and volunteer enquiries since the announcement, which organisers hope will allow them to upgrade their rescue craft and expand their training capacity ahead of the coming winter season. Wexford County Council has separately indicated it is reviewing flood defence proposals for the Enniscorthy stretch of the Slaney, with a report expected before the end of the year.
What's Next
The Enniscorthy St Patrick's Day parade is scheduled for March 17, 2027, with planning already under way. The parade committee is expected to announce further details of the Grand Marshal ceremony in the coming months. Wexford County Council's flood defence review is due to report by December 2026, with any capital proposals subject to approval by the Office of Public Works. The Slaney Search and Rescue team will hold its annual fundraising gala in October, with this year's event expected to attract record attendance following the public recognition.
