More than half a million people are expected on the streets of Dublin today for what has been billed as the biggest St Patrick's Day spectacle yet. Met Eireann predicts a mild but cloudy day with a possibility of some sunny spells and only a slim chance of rain.
An estimated 1.3 million people are due to attend the four-day festival, which culminates in Sunday's Skyfest 2000 fireworks show. It kicked off last night with a city-centre street performance of Homer's Odyssey by Macnas and the Barcelona-based Els Comediants.
According to the major airlines and ferry companies, more than 300,000 people will travel in and out of Ireland over the weekend, an increase of up to 20 per cent on last year. Pre-parade entertainment in Dublin begins today at 10.30 a.m. with the first of the floats setting off at 11.30 a.m.
Extra buses and DART trains will be put on to cater for the parade-going public. For most of the rest of the day, however, a Sunday service will operate.
Tonight, celebrity-watchers are expected to be out in force in Temple Bar from where the British TV presenter, Chris Evans, will broadcast his TFI Friday show.
Pubs will be open normal hours for what is one of their busiest night's of the year.
ireland.com will be covering St Patrick's Day celebrations throughout today on its St Patrick's Festival 2000 website. It can be accessed at: www.ireland.com/events/st.patricks/
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