St Patrick’s Day celebrations return after two-year Covid absence

By Dominic McGrath, PA

St Patrick’s Day celebrations are set to return in full, with massive crowds expected on the streets of Dublin after Covid-19 put a pause on celebrations for the last two years.

Cities, towns and villages across the island of Ireland will hold St Patrick’s Day celebrations, which return on Thursday after the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

Up to 400,000 people are expected to attend the parade in Dublin, returning after it was cancelled for two successive years due to the pandemic.

Many more will watch live on TV.

(Spectators ahead of the St Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin. - PA)

In March 2020, swathes of St Patrick’s Day plans were cancelled by the onset of the global pandemic with parades axed in Dublin and Belfast.

This year in Dublin, the parade will begin at Parnell Square and go through O’Connell Street and around College Green, before making its way down Lord Edward Street and ending on Kevin Street at around 2pm.

Olympic boxer Kellie Harrington and Paralympic swimmer Ellen Keane will be among those taking part.

In Belfast, the first parade since 2019 will leave City Hall at 1pm.

Organisers say the theme will be “We are all Patrick, we are all Belfast”.

The parade will travel along Donegall Place, into High Street, Bridge Street and Waring Street and finish in Donegall Street close to Writers Square.

(Spectators ahead of the St Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin PA)