Music, culture, dance and colour are the order of the day for festival fun

THE heart of Dublin was transformed into a sea of green leprechaun hats and tricolours as hundreds of thousands thronged the Irish capital for the famous St Patrick’s Day parade.

Buoyant revellers from across the globe crammed the city’s streets for the two-hour spectacle, which saw street theatre troupes, pageantry, dancers and marching bands weave the 3km route.

Some 3,000 performers took part in the parade which was one of the highlights of the five-day St Patrick’s Festival.