Catch-up with what you've missed today with our evening briefing

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Thu, 17 Mar, 2016 - 00:00

IRELAND

St Patrick's Day festivities have been taking place this afternoon across the country. More than half a million people turned out to enjoy this year’s parade Dublin - and the dry, sunny weather certainly didn’t hurt numbers. Close to 3,000 performers participated in this year’s parade.

Gerry Adams has called for the "full normalisation" of relations between the US and Sinn Féin after he was denied entry to a St Patrick's day reception in the White House.

Lord of the Dance Michael Flatley has paid a warm tribute to his late father as he was honoured by the Irish American Fund in Washington DC. Speaking at the gala dinner, Mr Flatley spoke of his pride in spreading Irish culture throughout the globe.

Senior Fianna Fáil members believe a May election could be looming as talks to form a government continue.

Gay Byrne has admitted things will never go back to how they were before his heart attack. The RTE legend gave everyone a scare last Christmas and although he has recovered well, Gay said things won’t be the same again.

WORLD

SeaWorld will end killer-whale shows after years of bad publicity. The attraction has said the current generation of orcas in captivity will be the last.

British astronomers have used the Hubble Space Telescope to find a group of nine massive stars 30 million times brighter than the Sun.

A Francis Bacon self-portrait rarely seen in public is expected to fetch up to €26.5m when it goes under the hammer later this year.

SPORT

Thistlecrack confirmed his position as the stand-out in his division as he comfortably won the Ryanair World Hurdle at Cheltenham. Meanwhile, Vautour justified the late decision to bypass the Timico Gold Cup by running away with the Ryanair Chase.

Tommy O'Donnell comes in at openside flanker in place of Josh van der Flier in the only change in Joe Schmidt’s Ireland team for the Six Nations clash with Scotland.

Na Piarsaigh collected a first All-Ireland club hurling title today in Croke Park, the Limerick men dominating Antrim champions Cushendall from start to finish and running out comfortable winners.

BUSINESS

Tourism Ireland has said it is impossible to put a price on the publicity that Ireland receives around the world on St Patrick's Day.

Cork-based multinational outsourcing company Voxpro[ has more than trebled its US workforce after announcing 450 positions at its base in California.

VIEWPOINTS

Adverserial politics should be replaced by European model of multi-member coalitions and oppositions that contribute to policy, say Muiris MacCarthaigh and Mary C Murphy.

LIFESTYLE

Today is the perfect day to take advantage of the quiet roads and pedal your way along some of Munster’s best cycling routes, says Dan MacCarthy

VIDEO

Peter McNamara, Darren Norris and Tommy Lyons of the Irish Examiner mull over the day's racing in question on the fourth and final day at the Cheltenham Festival.

EXAM VIRAL

Get your barrels ready, the Guinness-drinking punters are about to descend. Here are 12 things you’ll know only too well if you’ve had the experience of working in a pub on St Patrick’s Day.

Is Cork in your heart? Is Galway your state of mind? Is Kerry where you truly belong? Most of us love where we come from, but have you ever wondered what your life would have been like if you were born somewhere else?

TECHNOW

GAMING: The 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising has a lot of people feeling patriotic. And no videogame does patriotism quite like Broforce.

MOVIES: So you want to remake swords and sandals epic Ben-Hur and the chosen director is the man who made Wanted, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter and Nightwatch.

TECH: MainTool has been working on a gadget and connected app that turns your regular watch into a smartwatch with a variety of new functions.

SHOWBIZ

Television magician Paul Daniels died today aged 77 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, his publicist has said. Famous for his self-deprecating humour, his catchphrase was: “You’ll like this … not a lot, but you’ll like it.”