Around 650,000 people thronged the streets of Ireland's capital city today for one of the world's biggest and most colourful St Patrick's Day parades.
Samba dancers in Dublin's St Patrick's Day parade.
The wet weather that plagued earlier celebrations over the weekend gave way to glorious spring sunshine for the spectacular climax of the five-day festival in Dublin.
Giant airborne puppets kept a watchful eye on the huge crowds and 3,000 dancers, performers and musicians from around the globe as they snaked their way through the city centre.
Grand Marshall Eamonn Coughlan, the Olympic and world champion athlete, said it was a great honour to lead the parade in his native Dublin. "It's the capital city of the world today," he said.
Street theatre companies including Plasticiens Volants, from the south of France, and the homegrown Bui Bolg, from Wexford, amazed spectators with their show-stealing performances.
The Garda Band were joined by school bands from Ireland and throughout the United States, including Illinois, Wisconsin and Alabama, in providing the open air soundtrack.
Celine Quinn (26) originally from Navan, Co Meath, travelled back home from Tokyo, Japan, where she works as an IT consultant, for the festival.
"There was a real multi-cultural vibe to this year's parade which I think reflects the new Ireland," she said. "I'm here with my nieces and nephews and they loved it, even though one of them was a bit scared of the dragons."
Mike and Babette O'Callaghan, from Toronto, Canada, arrived in Dublin yesterday for their first visit to Ireland. "It's just amazing," said Mike. "I didn't expect it to be so colourful. We are here for a week, and I'm hoping to travel to Tipperary to find out more about my Irish roots there."
Sean Delaney, seven, from Carlow Town, travelled to Dublin with his grandparents for the two-hour spectacle.
"It was hard to see sometimes, but my grandad lifted me up. My favourite bit was the Queen of the bees, she kept shouting: 'feed the Queen, feed the Queen."
VIP onlookers included President Mary McAleese, dressed in a teal Paul Costello coat, who arrived outside the GPO on O'Connell Street in a limousine, with her husband Dr Martin McAleese.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Paddy Bourke was transported through the city in a restored 1791 horse-drawn gilded state coach adorned with portraits of William of Orange.
Traditional band Kila and singer Mary Black brought the celebrations to a close at an open air concert after the main parade.
PA