London hosts first St Patrick's Day festival

London’s first official St Patrick’s Day celebrations were taking place today.

Mayor Ken Livingstone has pressed ahead with the £100,000 (€161,000) festival despite calls that a similar event should be staged for St George, England’s patron saint.

A taste of Irish culture ranging from music to poetry, dancing, drinking and oysters was sweeping into central London.

A parade, complete with floats and costumes, was moving from Westminster Cathedral through Whitehall and into Trafalgar Square where the Dubliners, the Wexford Male Voice Choir, Mary Coughlan, dancers Celtic Feet and poet Tom Paulin were set to appear.

Daithi O’Ceallaigh, Irish Ambassador to London, and Seumas Brennan, Minister of State to the Taoiseach, were taking part in the parade.

The Metropolitan Police, the fire brigade, schools, Irish dancers and bands were set to join in the event.

Mr Livingstone sees it as a cheap family day out in which Britons can understand more about the culture of one of London’s largest ethnic minority communities.

Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy have given support, pointing to the economic, social and cultural contribution to London life made by the Irish.

Mr Livingstone was hoping that some members of the government would attend the festival.