People's Parade to take centre stage in St Patrick's Festival

Details of this year's St Patrick's Festival has been announced, with organisers promising it will be best yet.

In the year of 'The Gathering', this year's Dublin Parade will explore the theme 'Great Things Happen When We Get Together'.

And the centrepiece will be the People's Parade made up of 8,000 participants from around the world.

Transport and Tourism Minister Leo Varadkar said that means this years' festival will be bigger and better than ever.

He said: "The festival grows every year, it's a five-day event with lots of things happening on the streets.

"It is added to this year because of The Gathering and also because of the fact we have the People's Parade with 8,000 people from overseas taking part.

"There are 5,000 places booked already so there is still a chance to get in there."