Record crowds predicted for St Patrick's Day parade

Thousands are expected to pack the main streets of Ireland for the St Patrick’s Day annual parades, with more than half a million people expected to attend the Dublin event.

The country’s leading pageant companies and some of the biggest marching bands from around the world will snake through the streets creating a colourful spectacle with floats, dancers and performance artists.

To mark The Gathering – Ireland’s year of homecoming celebrations – the public has been asked to take part in the first ever People’s Parade.

Organisers have invited 8,000 people from all over the world to march in the procession, which will be held before the Dublin parade.

It will take the same route throughout the city centre from Parnell Square to O’Connell Street, across O’Connell Bridge to Westmoreland Street, along Dame Street and Lord Edward Street to Christchurch and finishing at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Meanwhile, volunteers from Dublin Pride and BeLongTo will represent the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in the main parade.

It will be the first time such a large LGBT group will take part in the annual event marking Ireland’s national holiday.

The weather forecast could be better, with some wintry scattered showers predicted for all areas.