Capital thrills as parade hits streets

ALMOST half a million people turned the streets of Dublin green yesterday as they cheered on the colourful St Patrick’s Day parade snaking through the city centre.

The atmosphere was electric as more than 3,000 people took part in the traditional parade to mark the national holiday, including 17 international marching bands and 10 theatrical pageants from all over the country.

Marching bands, stilt walkers, Irish dancing cows, giant pigs and cavorting butterflies were the order of the day as over 400,000 people turned out in the capital alone to commemorate the national saint.