Ireland prepares to celebrate St Patrick's Day

Millions of visitors are expected to descend on towns and cities across Ireland this weekend as the country celebrates St Patrick's Day.

Streets will come alive with parades, theatre, fireworks, live music and plenty of Guinness as the Irish celebrate the life of the man credited with converting the country to Christianity.

Dublin and Cork will be leading the celebrations in the Republic, while Armagh and Downpatrick are the places to head to in Northern Ireland.

The Irish capital is expected to attract over one million visitors alone during its St Patrick's Festival between April 15th and 19th.

This year's festival opens on Wednesday evening with the GE Money Oiche, which will see acrobats performing hair-raising choreography 30 to 50 feet in the air.

At noon on St Patrick's Day itself, the festival parade's marching bands, performers, dancers and street theatre companies will begin from Parnell Square and snake their way through Dublin, across the river Liffey, before finishing up by St Patrick's Cathedral.

Cork, Ireland's second city, is hosting three days of festivities, starting on Friday March 17th, including the Carnival of Fools, where fools from all over Europe will be providing street entertainment.

In Northern Ireland, the largest and most lively carnivals and parades will be taking place in Armagh and Downpatrick.

Downpatrick's festival is now over 25 years old and is expected to attract more than 25,000 visitors on March 17th itself.

Both towns will be hosting a St Patrick's Day parade as part of a ten day festival.

For more information on events in Dublin, Cork, Armagh and Downpatrick, see:

www.stpatricksfestival.ie/cms/home.html

www.corkstpatricksfestival.ie/

www.stpatricksfestival.com XXX