Sun shines for St Patrick's Day festivities

St. Patrick's Day parades are taking place all across the country this afternoon in honour of our patron saint.

Gardaí are warning motorists to expect delays on the roads this afternoon as traffic restrictions will be in place in most towns.

In Dublin city centre, over 650,000 people lined the streets to watch this year's parade, which was officiated by world boxing champion and Olympic medal hopeful Katie Taylor.

Over 3,000 people were taking part in the 3km procession, which for the first time was taking its inspiration from a short story - Roddy Doyle's 'Brilliant'.

It was chosen to honour Dublin’s designation as a Unesco City of Literature with Ireland’s leading pageant companies interpreting different chapters of the story.

The festival provides an estimated return of €50.5m to the economy in spending by tourists and Dubliners.

Meanwhile Taoiseach Enda Kenny was celebrating his first St Patrick’s Day in office at The White House with US President Barack Obama.

In total, nine members of the cabinet are taking part in worldwide engagements to mark St Patrick's Day, in a travel schedule significant pared down from that observed by previous governments.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore is in New York, Arts Minister Jimmy Deenihan and Social Protection Minister Joan Burton are in London, while Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney visits Paris and the Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton visits Germany.

Education Minister Ruairí Quinn visits Rome, while further afield, Children's Minister Frances Fitzgerald travels to Australia – including a brief visit to Christchurch in New Zealand – and Tourism Minister Leo Varadkar, who is himself of Indian parentage, is in India.