Green projections light up buildings in Dublin for St Patrick’s Day

As it was for New Year’s Eve, the front of Trinity is an ideal place to project images to celebrate the forthcoming national holiday.

The display consisted of doodles sketched by people from around the world as part of Tourism Ireland 's Greening Season initiative.

Almost every major landmark in the city – from Dublin Castle to the Four Courts, Dublin Airport and the Guinness Storehouse – will participate.

The designs were the winning entries from a social media-based Tourism Ireland competition entitled Dublin Doodle, which invited people overseas to create their own virtual green design.

Tourism Ireland has been successful in having famous landmarks around the world turn green for St Patrick's Day.

Absolutely fabulous
The latest has been the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas " sign on the edge of the Nevada desert which turned green last night and will remain "greened" until next Monday evening. The lights were turned on by television presenter Kathryn Thomas and the city's former mayor Oscar Goodman.

On Sunday, thousands of people from across the world will walk in Dublin’s St Patrick’s Day Parade.

A total of 8,000 places were on offer, some of which are still available. Anyone interested in taking part can register in person at Dublin City Hall on Friday from 10am to 8pm and on Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Photographic ID is essential.

Dublin Chamber of Commerce estimates 120,000 overseas visitors will visit the capital over the bank holiday weekend. This year’s spend is projected to be about €50 million. Last year it was €47.5 million.

Dublin Airport has already been greened for the occasion. Monday is likely to be its busiest day with more than 82,000 passing through as visitors return home after the weekend.

Dublin Chamber chief executive Gina Quinn said this year's festival could see the most overseas visitors because of the Gathering. Expedia, the hotel booking site, estimates holiday bookings to Ireland are up 25 per cent on last year.

The fact that St Patrick’s Day is on a Sunday is certain to help overseas bookings, with many visitors making a week of it.

Dublin is still the favoured destination, although the percentage of those booking through Expedia to stay in the capital over the weekend has dropped from 75 per cent to 65 per cent.