St Patrick’s Day in pictures: Fine weather and downpours at parades around Ireland
Some people grinned through quintessentially miserable March 17th conditions. Others basked in sunshine
The streets of Dublin were thronged on Tuesday as hundreds of thousands turned out to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. Video: Enda O'Dowd
Tue Mar 17 2026 - 17:07 • 1 MIN READ
In many locations around Ireland, it was a day of dodging showers. A downpour in Galway ended just before the parade began. The rain held off in Cork, but puppet-watchers and float-fanciers had to endure blustery conditions. In the pictures below, the people of Bantry grin valiantly in what look like quintessentially miserable St Patrick’s Day conditions. In Dublin, the sun shone on parade grand marshal Vogue Williams and a few hundred thousand others. And if you weren’t too exposed to the wind or rain, temperatures were mild for March 17th, hitting 14 degrees in many towns and cities as Ireland reached peak parade.
Twins Seánín and Dáithí Fortune of Cavan Gaels GAA club in the Cavan town parade. Photograph: Lorraine Teevan
17/03/2026. Pictured at St Patrick's Day Paraade in Limerick City where runner Ava Crean was Grand Marshal. Photograph: Don Moloney
Four-year-old Jamine Cummins with the Kavanagh-Porter Academy of Dance taking part in the Dún Laoghaire St Patrick’s Day Parade. Photograph: Mark Stedman
Performers from the Limerick Indian Community pictured at St Patrick's Day Paraade in Limerick city. Photograph: Don Moloney
Members of the public at the Bantry, West Cork festivities. Photograph: Andy Gibson.
Latta and her daughter Hazel at the Galway St. Patrick's Parade. Photograph: Hany Marzouk
A huge number of people turned out for the Bantry St Patrick's Day parade, despite the wet weather. Photograph: Andy Gibson.
The St Patrick's Day parade in Kilkenny. Photograph: Liam Murphy
Saint Patrick's Day in Belfast. Photograph: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker.
Kilkenny parade. Photograph: Liam Murphy
Performers from Polish Arts Festival in Limerick City. Photograph: Don Moloney
Dún Laoghaire. Photograph: Mark Stedman
Sisters Imogen (6) and Elodie Barry (8) in Dún Laoghaire. Photograph: Mark Stedman
Eight-year-olds Kaizen Aquino and Hillary Tapiwan watch the Dún Laoghaire parade. Photograph: Mark Stedman
Members of the local men’s shed in the Dún Laoghaire St Patrick’s Day Parade. Photograph: Mark Stedman
Taekwondo Tigers in the Dún Laoghaire parade. Photograph: Mark Stedman
Catherine Connolly impersonator at the Galway parade. Photograph: Hany Marzouk
Enjoying the Bantry parade, despite some wet weather, was Seán Harnedy from Caheragh. Photograph: Andy Gibson
Michael and Michaela Lebe from Germany at the Bantry parade. Photograph: Andy Gibson
Big shout out to Oscar Winner Jessie Buckley outside the family Hotel, at the St Patrick's Festival Parade, the amazing Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce Float featured Killarney's Hollywood A Listers, Ruiri O'Flaherty, Michael Fassbender. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan
Plenty of culture and colour in the St. Patrick's Festival Parade in Killarney town on Tuesday, organised by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce. The parade featured over 60 community group in the surrounding area. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan
Charlotte Sherry from Salthill recording the Galway parade with her camera. Photograph: by Hany Marzouk
St Patrick's Day Spring Carnival at Shipquay Street, Derry. Photograph: Trevor McBride
