This year's St Patrick's Day was celebrated in various parts of Fermanagh, but to no real extent in Enniskillen where, despite a special public meeting being arranged, there were no takers to organise a parade.

However, there was no scarcity of Fermanagh people in this year's two-hour long St Patrick's Day parade on Fifth Avenue, among them, Fermanagh Councillor, Frank Britton. He had accompanied the 49-strong St Michael's Scout Brass Band from Enniskillen as a parental member. It led the Fermanagh Association in the parade. The band were based in Fort Hamilton US Army base, New York where they performed at morning Mass and met the Commanding Officer, Colonel Tracey Nicholson who heads off to Iraq in June as US director of operations there.

For the band's musical director, Bernard O'Connor was a St Patrick's day to remember: "For most of the band members, it was their first time in New York, and it was my first time down Fifth Avenue.

"St Patrick's Day will never be the same again. It was an absolutely once in a lifetime experience, and people out here, they really could not do enough for us".

Closer to home, there were excellently turned-out parades in Roslea and in Swanlinbar, where some 40 floats entertained a huge crowd drawn mainly from Swanlinbar/Kinawley parish.

Back in Enniskillen, the county town's contribution, excellent though it was, was confined to three well-known traditional Irish musicians who performed on the District Council bandstand at the Diamond.

Francis Rasdale, Charlie Woods and Gabriel McArdle were twice on duty, on Saturday and again on Monday, St Patrick's Day.

"Saturday was a very busy day and, even though it was a wet day, we had a lot of reaction", Francis explained. "There were more people about. Saturday seemed to be the big day".

So, what is it that is lacking in the county town that it can't compete with the likes of Roslea and Swanlinbar?

"If you take places across the Border", Charlie Woods suggested, " the community spirit is completely different. It's no odds what foot you kick with, everybody is equal and everybody feels comfortable. There's still a bit of that feeling up here".