675,000 people throng streets for colour and culture

MORE than 675,000 people from home and abroad lined the streets of Dublin for one of the world’s most colourful St Patrick’s Day parades.

The heart of the city was transformed into a multicultural festival for the two-hour spectacle, which saw street theatre troupes, artists, giant puppetry, dancers and marching bands from Ireland and further afield weave the 2.5km route across the capital.

The parade, made up of about 2,000 performers and over 900 marching band members, kicked off at noon from Parnell Square North and was the highlight of Dublin’s six-day St Patrick’s weekend festival.