WAUKEE, Iowa — St. Patrick’s Day is less than a week away, but Waukee North West band students are the real lucky Iowans as the band leaves Friday for Ireland to play in the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The band applied years in advance to be accepted in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, where the band will be playing, “Don’t stop believing” by Journey. Students will also get the opportunity to perform inside the Kilkenny Castle.

Band members leave Friday, embarking on a four-hour bus ride to Chicago, followed by a seven-hour flight to Ireland. Jet lag aside, band members are excited about the trip.

“A lot of people come to Dublin for this parade. It’s nationally televised and there are judges there so it’s kind of a competition, but we’re not so much concerned about that as just playing well, marching well, and having a good time,” said band member Braden Steenhard.

“It was kind of a surprise because a lot of people go to Disneyland or Disneyworld so we kind of expected that that’s what it was going to be, but here we are,” said band member Chloe Gilbert.

Aside from performing, the band will be sightseeing around Ireland, visiting the countryside and Belfast, and even trying Irish dancing.

“As a director, it’s always fun for me to watch the kids have these experiences because most of them have never been to Ireland. So, to see them experience a new culture, a new place that does things differently than we do, and the wonder that comes from that I enjoy watching them have those experiences,” said Chad Friesleben, the Band Director.

“Just spending time with friends over an extended period of time and getting to travel with friends is a really unique opportunity that we get to have here in the band program,” said Steenhard.

“For me and I bet a lot of our seniors, it’s really rewarding to have this, it’s my last year, let’s go have some fun out of the country,” said Gilbert.

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