US parades cap St Patrick’s Day celebrations – a little early

The Chicago River is dyed green for St Patrick’s Day (WLS ABC 7 Chicago via AP)

People across the United States have celebrated their Irish heritage at several major St Patrick’s Day parades on Saturday.

They are marking the holiday a day early at events that included a big anniversary in Savannah, Georgia, and honoured a pioneering female business leader as grand marshal in New York.