Shamrocking! St Patrick’s Day celebrations kick off across the British Isles with hundreds of thousands of people taking to streets in their best fancy dress
Advertisement
Hundreds of thousands of people have donned the green today for St Patrick’s Day celebrations across the British Isles.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin kicked off the city’s parade in a horse-drawn coach before huge crowds and marching bands from Ireland, the USA and Germany followed in his wake.
Leprechauns were seen in abundance alongside dancers in eclectic costumes and soldiers in uniform.
In London, people waving Irish tricolours and waving shamrocks packed into Trafalgar Square for the culmination of a three-day festival overseen by Cold Feet actor James Nesbitt, 54.
Now in its 17th year, the parade attracts more than 50,000 people for a colourful procession of Irish marching bands from the UK, US and Ireland, energetic dance troupes and spectacular pageantry.
The parade in Birmingham saw tens of thousands of people marching despite the rainy conditions, while similar events took place in other cities including Liverpool, Belfast, Londonderry, Armagh, Enniskillen and Edinburgh.
Hundreds of thousands of people were out in cities across the British Isles today to mark St Patrick’s Day. Pictured are crowds in Dublin
Leprechauns were seen in abundance during today’s parade in Dublin alongside dancers in eclectic costumes and soldiers in uniform
In London, people waving Irish tricolours and waving shamrocks packed into Trafalgar Square for the culmination of a three-day festival overseen by Cold Feet actor James Nesbitt, 54
Police officers in formal dress uniform parade through the centre of London during today’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations
A woman wrapped in an Irish tricolour takes a photo as crowds watch the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Dublin today
A group of men enjoy St Patrick’s Day day with pints of Guinness. St Partrick’s Day hits the city centre of Liverpool with people of all ages enjoying the day
Dancers and drummers fill the streets of Liverpool to celebrate St Patrick’s day, with a major parade taking place in the city for the fourth year running
People dressed in fancy dress hats watch the St Patrick’s Day parade on a bright day in central London today
A wide variety of flags were seen during the St Patrick’s Day parade as it weaved its way through Piccadilly Circus in central London today
This man put on a particularly impressive fancy dress performance as he took part St Patrick’s Day celebrations in London