PICTURE GALLERY: St Patrick's celebrations
TOWNS and cities across the Province were awash with colour as people celebrated St Patrick's Day.
Up to 1,000 people took part in a street carnival in Belfast where giant colourful floats, joined by stilt walkers and mythical characters, made their way down Royal Avenue from the City Hall, to the delight of the crowd.
A huge boat depicting St Patrick's landing in Ireland was a major attraction, while there was no shortage of youngsters enjoying the fun dressed as leprechauns.
Even pet dogs joined the festivities with novelty scarves around their necks.
Canadian flags were also spotted among the crowd, obviously in support of a visiting British Colombia Regimental Pipe Band.
The parade ended at Custom House Square where teenage rapper Chipmunk headlined a concert.
Revellers were also treated to performances from X Factor starlet Ruth Lorenzo, traditional music from Flook and Session Beats and K1, Romania's chart-topping band.
Cool FM's Pete Snodden was compere.
St Patrick's Day was also celebrated in the city with a BBC concert at Belfast Waterfront Hall, while there was Irish dancing and music at St George's Market.
Belfast Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers said the day went "extremely well".
"I'm glad the weather held up and everyone had a good time, that's the way it should be," he said.
"St Patrick's Day is for people of all religions.
"It sends out a very positive message for Belfast."
It was the culmination of a nine-day festival in Downpatrick. A cross-community parade with the theme, 'The Sun, The Moon and The Stars', made its way through the town and an event at St Patrick's Square was compered by U105's George Jones. The traditional church service also took place at Down Cathedral.
In Armagh, around 1,000 people took part in a parade yesterday afternoon.
Thousands of walkers celebrated St Patrick's Day in a more energetic way in Ballymena by climbing Slemish – the mountain the saint was reputed to have herded sheep on.
The steep climb was worth it for the intrepid walkers, with breath-taking views across the Province. The Kili Warriors travelled from Belfast to join the hikers as part of their training for a gruelling 12-day climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in June to raise money for the Ulster Cancer Foundation.
Sean McQuade, Fiona Grogan, Jacqui Stewart, Sinead Higgins and Amanda Rodgers aim to raise 20,000 for the charity.
Last night, in the village of Killylea, Co Armagh, marching bands took to the streets for one of Ulster's newest St Patrick's Day traditions.
The band competition was organised by Cormeen Rising Sons of William Flute Band and this was its fifth consecutive year.
It was also a big day for sport with competitive action in the three finals, as well as a busy day at Down Royal races.
Ballymena Academy triumphed 10-7 over Belfast Royal Academy in a thrilling School's Cup final at Ravenhill.
De La Salle footballers beat St Malachy's College 2-1 in the final of the Maxol Direct Senior Cup at the New Grosvenor Stadium, Lisburn.
In GAA, St Colman's, Newry claimed the MacRory Cup with a 1-14 to 1-08 victory over Omagh CBS.
And at Down Royal, One Cool Cookie took the honours in the feature race, the Guinness Chase.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belfast
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
