"There’s a yearning for live performance that’s absent from gaming and animation, and ultimately there’s an opportunity for puppetry there.”

From Model Ts to muscle cars — a fleet of historic Ford vehicles will lead Cork’s St Patrick’s Day parade as the company marks its 100-year connection to the city.

A pioneer of puppetry and visual street theatre in Ireland will be remembered as puppets take over Cork next month.

It’s the country’s most internationally renowned celebration, and everybody knows it. All across the world, people with itchy feet are making bucket lists — Brazil for Carnivale, India for Holi, and Ireland for St Patrick’s Day.

Broadcaster and rugby pundit George Hook has agreed to line out as grand marshall for the St Patrick’s Dayparade in his native city.

Up to 3,000 community arts, sports. and music groups from across Cork and beyond will take part in this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade, the centerpiece of what will be a four-day celebration of the county’s cultural diversity.

There will be such a thing as a free lunch at the St Patrick’s Festival in Cork, as the city will be serving free vegetarian curry to up to 5,000 hungry visitors as part of a sustainable eating initiative.