If there is one country you don’t want to be compared with right now it’s Italy.

The organisers of the St Patrick's Day parade in Washington DC have cancelled this year's event due to rising security costs.

ÁRAS an Uachtaráin last night refused to confirm or deny claims President Mary McAleese turned down the role of grand marshal of the New York St Patrick’s Day parade because the event excludes gay people.

St Patrick, acclaimed for driving snakes out of Ireland before being adopted as the country’s national saint, is facing a crisis this year as the time approaches for his annual celebration.