Dublin goes green to celebrate St Patrick's Day

Revellers posed for pictures ahead of the St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin

Green was the colour everywhere you looked around Dublin this St Patrick's Day and accents from all over the globe could be heard.

The festive atmosphere was in full swing with a huge parade taking place in front of the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins.

An estimated half a million people from home and abroad watched thousands of people participating and performing in the colourful and very creative parade.

The global visitors to the Irish capital wore all shades of green, against the sounds of Irish traditional music, local and international marching bands, and non-stop on-street entertainment.

The theme for this year's Dublin parade is "eachtrai" which means adventures in the Irish language

The parade snaked its way along O'Connell Street and onwards past Trinity College to St Stephen's Green.

It included more than 4,000 participants, including marching bands from around the world, performers, dancers and St Patrick's Day floats.

The city was thronged throughout the weekend as revellers arrived early from all over the world to join the annual celebrations.

A huge logistical operation was also under way to prepare for the parade and the huge crowds.

Dublin was awash with green on St Patrick's Day

Before the parade, President Higgins and his wife Sabina travelled from Áras an Uachtaráin (official residence of the Irish president) to St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in the city centre where they attended Mass.

The theme for this year's parade was 'eachtrai' (adventures), which aimed to reflect the adventurous spirit of Ireland, highlighting community, diversity, and inclusion.

A special pageant will celebrate 40 years of the Irish non-governmental organisation (NGO) Pavee Point, showcasing Irish Traveller and Roma traditions.

The main parade continued into the afternoon but the international party in the Irish capital will continue long into the night.

Irish President Michael D Higgins arrives for St Patrick's Day mass in Dublin's Pro-Cathedral