Vera Pauw will lead the St Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin.
The Irish women's national team manager has been confirmed as the Parade's Grand Marshal on March 17. And experienced players including Diane Caldwell and former international Paula Gorham will have a strong presence on the day.
The women's football team has gone from strength to strength following their first ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup Finals. The parade will honour players ahead of their journey to Australia and New Zealand later this year for the tournament.
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Vera said of the announcement: "The achievement of this team is incredible, but we know that we wouldn’t have made it without the fantastic support of the Irish people, from all around the world. So it is a huge honour for the team to be named as Grand Marshal for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade before we fly to Australia this summer to do the nation proud at the FIFA Women’s World Cup."
Vera's efforts to promote inclusivity in women's football received recognition after she was awarded 'Manager of the Year' at RTE's Sports Awards in 2022. Off the pitch, she helped to introduce an equal pay structure for players.
The parade will make a return to the Dublin streets at 12pm on St Patrick's Day, commencing at Parnell Square. The parade will end at St Kevin's junction and feature a wide variety of community groups, including Junk Kouture and Discovery Gospel Choir.
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