St Patrick’s Day was marked by a series of parades and carnivals across Northern Ireland today, with a strong emphasis on community relations and inclusion.
Events in Lurgan, Co Armagh however were cancelled following last week’s murder of Constable Stephen Carroll and ongoing violence and tension in the area.
Disturbances also broke out in the vicinity of Queen’s University in Belfast where students from a range of colleges live.
Thousands of people turned out in bright sunshine in Downpatrick, Co Down for an hour-long parade and a host of on-street events and entertainment.
The day began with a traditional annual ecumenical pilgrimage from Saul, the site of St Patrick’s first church in Ireland, to the patron saint’s burial site at Down cathedral.
Clergymen from the main Christian churches led the procession and later took part in a joint service.
The Prayer Walk for Peace was suspended during the worst years of the Troubles but is now restored to a main feature.
The centre piece of the eight-day St Patrick’s festival was the carnival parade which this year adopted the theme of “the Sun, Moon and Stars”. It was a central event in the annual St Patrick’s Festival which includes around 50 events in Downpatrick and the vicinity.
In Belfast, thousands more watched the parade from City Hall to the reconstructed Custom House Square a short distance away. A crowd estimated at 6,000 were later entertained by Co Derry X-Factor finalist Eoghan Quigg..
It was just the fourth annual St Patrick’s parade in the city centre supported by the city council.
Parade participants included a group from the local Gay Pride as well as members from Real Fathers for Justice.
Other parades were held in county towns across the North.