A round-up of other news in brief...
Adams addresses Boston all-male event
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has defended his decision to address an all-male audience hosted by a predominantly Irish-American club in Boston on Saturday night, writes Mary Minihan.
Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick is reported to have cancelled a scheduled appearance before the Clover Club of Boston in December, citing its refusal to allow women.
Irish journalists were asked to leave the private event at a city-centre hotel before Mr Adams delivered his address.
“Obviously I’m against exclusion, I’m for inclusivity,” he told reporters yesterday. “I made that point. I’m sorry you weren’t allowed in, you should have been allowed in.”
The Sinn Féin president said he accepted an invitation from Joe Leary, whom he described as a “long-standing friend of the process back home”.
Parades held in British cities
Tens of thousands of people attended St Patrick's Day parades in several major cities in Britain yesterday, including London, Birmingham and Leicester, writes Mark Hennessy.
The largest one, in London, attracted large crowds in Trafalgar Square. Several major streets in London were closed for many hours to allow the parade, which included dozens of floats, to pass from Green Park to Trafalgar Square, where a concert headlined by Mundy and Camille O’Sullivan lasted until 6pm.
London mayor Boris Johnson, who helped to fund the parade, did not attend.
Minister of State John Curran paid tribute to the London authorities for helping to make the parade possible.
30,000 watch band parade in Limerick
Up to 30,000 watched more than 600 musicians and marchers take to the streets of Limerick yesterday for the International Band Parade.
The rain held off as the colourful marching bands took part in the parade that traditionally kicks off St Patrick’s Day festivities in the city. This was the 40th anniversary of the event.
The parade started out from O’Connell Avenue and covered the length of the city before finishing at Arthur’s Quay.
Mullingar Town Band was awarded first prize as top performer, and the award for best local outfit went to the Newcastle West and District Pipe Band.