Riots after Patrick’s Day revelry gets out of hand

Revellers started a large street fire and battled with police and fire crews who tried to intervene after St Patrick’s Day celebrations got out of hand in a town in Canada, authorities said last night.

Meanwhile, London mayor Boris Johnson called on Irish people to help make this summer’s Games the “O’Lympics” as he took part in St Patrick’s Day festivities. He praised the “real skill of the Irish community in educating everybody in the business of having a party”.

Ireland Olympic chef de mission and Olympic silver medallist, Cork native Sonia O’Sullivan, said Irish people were pleased to have the Olympics so close to home, and added: “A lot of them are really inspired by the Olympics being in London. It’s a goal. They really want to get there because it’s so close to friends and family.”