St Patrick's Day: Thousands line streets of Dublin for national parade
Tomas Doherty
Thousands of people are filling the streets of Dublin to watch the national St Patrick’s Day parade.
Children, adults and visitors from across the world were packing the city centre, with many adorned in green, to celebrate the festivities which began at 12pm.
People gathered at the barriers from early on Monday morning in green outfits.
The 4km parade began at Parnell Square North and will finish at Kevin Street Lower.
The theme of the 2025 parade is Adventures (Eachtraí).
Dublin actress Victoria Smurfit is the Grand Marshal for this year's parade.
Smurfit said it was an “incredible honour” to be part of the event.
“Celebrating St Patrick’s Day, for me, is an opportunity to eat all the good things, laugh at all the daft things. It’s about entertainment. It’s about freedom of your spirit,” she said.
“It’s about being as Irish as you can possibly be, because being Irish is a passport to being accepted wherever you go, because we bring joy and fun, we bring comedy, we bring music and dance and theatre.
“It’s just an incredible honour to spend this particular day in the centre of Dublin, in the centre of the parade, and be able to see all the kids and all the people and to be part of that.”
Also featuring in the parade will be the 357th Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, who will enjoy it from the Lord Mayor’s coach dating back to 1791.
Ms Blain commented: "It’s a true privilege to serve as Dublin’s Lord Mayor, and one of the highlights of my role is participating in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This year, I’m especially excited to share this incredible tradition with my family. It’s a fantastic chance to celebrate the very best of our vibrant city, and I can't wait to see the sea of smiling faces as we make our way through the streets.
"A huge congratulations to everyone taking part and to those who have dedicated countless hours to bring together this spectacular display of talent from both near and far. We’re in for a real treat today!"
Speaking about today’s parade, Richard Tierney, St Patrick’s Festival chief executive, said: "This year’s parade features a stunning line up of pageantry, from dazzling floats celebrating 10 years of marriage equality, to towering mythical creatures and tributes to Ireland’s legendary history.
"Beyond the parade, spectators can continue the celebrations at the Céilí Mór in Merrion Square, where people of all ages can join in and enjoy traditional Irish dance. Today is a true reflection of the joy, diversity and creativity that make St. Patrick’s Festival such a special celebration for all, and I’m proud to be a part of it".