St Patrick's Day parades return to Ireland after Covid hiatus

Thousands of participants -- from marching bands to leprechauns -- sang, played and danced through the streets of Dublin on Thursday, as Ireland marked the return of St Patrick's Day after a two-year gap in the celebrations due to coronavirus.

Thousands of Irish and international visitors flocked to the capital Dublin and beyond for the annual celebration of all things Irish, waving flags and in fancy dress.

Events celebrating Ireland's patron saint were some of the first to be called off in 2020 as mass gatherings were shelved, pubs closed and international travel curtailed.

But with the restrictions now lifted, Ireland was ready to party, and the government and organisers of Dublin's giant parade billed this year's event as a symbol of the country's return after Covid.

Government ministers and diplomats have fanned out across Europe and the globe, from Chile to Japan, to renew ties with the Irish diaspora and those of Irish heritage.

Prime Minister Micheal Martin was in Washington to present a bowl of shamrocks to US President Joe Biden, a proud Irish-American who frequently references his family roots in the west of Ireland.

But their meeting had to take place virtually, after Martin tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday night.

Further afield, there were regular reminders that St Patrick is also a patron saint in Nigeria -- home to a stronger version of Ireland's famous Guinness stout.

The spectre of fresh Covid measures has hung over events in Dublin, where up to 400,000 people were expected to watch 3,000 participants.

The Dublin parade normally takes 18 months to organise.

The go-ahead was only given in January, forcing organisers to work around the clock to make it happen, said festival director Anna McGowan.

"It has been just one of the most intense planning periods I think this festival has ever seen," she said.