Dublin gears up for Paddy's Day celebrations

Pomp and pageantry, passion and parades, and, of course, the star guest, St Patrick too, will grace the annual Dublin St Patrick's Day festival this weekend.

Highlights of the festival, which starts tomorrow, include what are being billed as a sensational fireworks display on Saturday night and a fantastic two-hour parade on Sunday afternoon.

The 7Up Skyfest from Custom House Quay to the Point Theatre begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday. The St Patrick's Festival committee recommend that people arrive at the Quays before 6 p.m.

Because the fireworks are now positioned in the centre of the Liffey viewing positions on the north side of the river are recommended.

Road closures will commence at 6 p.m. at Pearse St, Dame St, Capel St, Parnell St and Summerhill. There will be no access after 6 p.m. from North Wall. Both the parade and fireworks will be televised live on RTÉ.

The St Patrick's parade - held in May last year because of foot-and-mouth - returns to its traditional date with ten visiting marching bands, performers and artists lending a strong international flavour.

More than 500,000 spectators are expected to line the parade route from midday. The parade will begin at Patrick St, move along Christchurch Place, Dame St, Westmoreland St, and O'Connell St before finishing on Parnell Square West.

Kicking off the festival tomorrow is a street spectacle torchlight procession put together by 2,000 transition-year student drummers and singers from schools throughout County Dublin.

The River Liffey will take centre stage with burning effigies floating on rafts. The four parades depart from Francis Street, St Stephen's Green, North Great George's St and Dominic St at 8.30 p.m., joining at the river at 9 p.m.

On Saturday, there will be a carnival-like atmosphere from noon to 6 p.m. as street theatre, comedy, music, mini-parades and bouncy castles transform Merrion Square.

Later on Saturday at the same venue, music will be provided by Blood or Whiskey, Turn, Skindive, Luke Thomas, Fifth Ave, The Walls, Picturehouse and many others.

Traffic restrictions include the closure of Aston and Wellington Quays tomorrow from 8.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.; the closure of Merrion Square South, West and East, Merrion St Upper, Fitzwilliam Street Lower and Mount St Upper from 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, the closure of East Wall Road, North Strand, Portland Row, Summerhill, Parnell St, Capel St, Parliament St, Dame St, College Green, College St, Pearse St to Grand Canal Quay from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The East Link Bridge, Church St Bridge and the Frank Sherwin Bridge will remain open while Matt Talbot, Butt and O'Connell Bridges will be closed.

On Sunday the road closures come into effect at 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. and include the closure of Patrick Street, Nicholas Street, Christchurch Place, Lord Edward Street, Dame Street, College Green, St Stephen's Green, Westmoreland Street and O'Connell Street, Parnell Square West and Mountjoy St.