St. Patricks Day in Dublin

Thousands of tourists packed Dublin today as the St Patrick’s festivities continued in advance of tomorrow’s mammoth parade.

From funfairs and storytelling to baby raves and Irish language workshops the eclectic range of activities attracted large numbers to the capital.

While ominous grey skies hung over the city for most of the day Met Eireann is forecasting bright and dry conditions for tomorrow.

Merrion Square boasted a series of attractions for both children and adults with art workshops, a culture zone showcasing music from around the globe, and two open top red buses with children’s story telling.

And in Temple Bar some of the capital’s youngest residents were getting into the groove for the final day of the festival’s baby rave.

Thousands of people braved wet and muddy conditions at the historic Rock of Cashel last night for an explosive fireworks display to mark the weekend.

The ruined church and fortifications date back to the 12th and 13th centuries.

Five and a half tones of fireworks were used to create more than 40,000 explosions, thrilling crowds who turned out for the extravaganza.




Rocking the Rock from early evening was an array of musical talent, while the pyrotechnic show got under way shortly after 7.30pm.

Orange, red, gold, blue and of course green fireworks lit up the night sky over the ruins, with music playing to the electrifying 15 minute display.

But the real highlight will be tomorrow’s St Patrick’s Day parade when tens of thousands are expected to pour into the capital for the two hour spectacle.

Kila and Mary Black are among the musical acts that will bring the celebrations to a close after the main parade.

Met Eireann is predicting that tomorrow will be bright, cold and dry with light winds, with most areas getting some sunny spells.

Almost 300,000 people were expected to travel through Dublin Airport over the course of this St Patrick’s weekend, representing a 7% increase in passenger numbers recorded during last year’s St Patrick’s holiday.

An estimated 2,250 flights were to arrive and depart Dublin airport while management at Cork Airport have predicted 100,000 passengers will come and go over the next ten days.