Nationwide parades to attract huge crowds

This fair isle will tremble to thousands of marching feet this Sunday as St Patrick’s Day parades are held in cities and towns the length and breadth of the country.

The evolving Dublin parade will see 10 specially commissioned pageants involving between 100 and 300 performers each joining 19 marching bands from the UK, the US, Norway and Germany.

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.

Festivities in the capital kick-off at 8 p.m. tonight with "AIB Glimmering" street carnival which comprises four separate parades involving drummers and other performers converging at the river Liffey, where a mass of "fireboats" will be set alight.

Tomorrow sees the return of popular regular events including Saturday's "Big Day Out", six hours of family entertainment which will take up three sides of Merrion Square, and the "Skyfest" at the Liffey quays.

The fireworks display designed this year by Groupe F, the team behind the millennium celebrations at the Eiffel Tower.

Galway

After its cancellation in 2001 due to foot-and-mouth the St Patrick’s Day Parade returns to Galway at 12.30 on Sunday. It will follow the established route starting at the University College Hospital through Eglinton St before finishing in Eyre Square.

Tomorrow night the city will host the Flame of St Patrick at 7 p.m. will see bands flanked by flaming torches marching through the city from Spanish Arch along Shop St and ending in Town Hall Theatre.

Belfast

Carnabhal Naomh Pádraig promise this year's St Patrick's Carnival will be the 'biggest and best ever'.

The theme for our 2002 celebrations is Páistí an Domhain/Children of the World. Children from this city will dress up in international costumes to join in spirit with celebrations across the globe this Sunday, according to chairperson Ms Irene Sherry.

The carnival will leave from North, South, East and West Belfast and culminate in an array of colour and creativity in Belfast city centre at 1.30 p.m. Performing live on stage will be Féile FM Roadshow, Durkan Folk, 'Sky's the Limit' and Irish and Indian Dancers.

Starting points are from; North 12 noon Ardoyne Avenue 12.30 p.m. North Queen Street; South, 12.30 p.m. Cromac Square; East 12.30 p.m. Mountpottinger Shops and from the West 12.30 p.m. Dunville Park.

Limerick

The Limerick City parade will leave Sarsfield Barracks at 11.30 and move along O’Connell Avenue, Arthur’s Quay before ending at Patrick St.

On Sunday evening and Monday, Shannon Development will host the 2002 Limerick International Band Festival in Limerick City centre. The parade route takes the bands along O’Connell Street towards Arthur’s Quay Park.