Patrick Kielty is ‘the proudest man in Ireland’ as Late Late Show presenter takes on role as grand marshal of St Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin

Attendees wearing shamrock-shaped sunglasses, Irish jerseys and leprechaun hats thronged the streets of the Irish capital ahead of the parade’s midday start.

Visitors travelled from as far away as Bolivia, California and China to catch a glimpse of the vibrant spectacle.

New Late Late Show presenter Patrick Kielty, the grand marshal of the national parade in Dublin, described Ireland’s national day as “the biggest party in the world”.

More than 4,200 participants are expected to take part in the flagship parade in the capital, featuring 18 performances and pageants.

In a new aspect, a ‘quiet space’ will be set up near College Green for 1,000 neurodivergent people and their families which will have sensory areas and where the volume of noise from the festivities will reduce dramatically.

A Festival Quarter at Collins Barracks will open again from noon to 6pm on Sunday, with music, food stalls and games for children.

Among the participants are a group examining the theme and the circular economy, a showpiece called ‘Dublin Seagulls’, as well as 14 marching bands from across Ireland, North America and France.

The holiday commemorates Ireland’s patron saint and is popular around the world by Irish immigrants.

While St Patrick’s Day falls on March 17, some parades were moved to Saturday in the US because Sunday is a day of worship for the Christian faithful.

Kielty said that as a man called Patrick, who is from Downpatrick in Co Down, and who attended St Patrick’s School, he was “the proudest man in Ireland”.

The TV presenter said that it was “a massive honour” to be the grand marshal, adding it was “emotional” for him.

“To be the Patrick at the front of this parade is one of the proudest moments of my life.”

Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: “I think St Patrick’s Day is so important to people because it gives us all a chance to share in something, it brings a lot of people together. I think sometimes here we maybe take it for granted.

“As someone who has lived abroad and knows what that day means to so many people who are longing for a connection to their lives back home, that’s what it’s about.”

“Especially when you come from the North, growing up, St Patrick’s grave was at the Church of Ireland, basically everything that used to happen through some type of binary prism.

“The idea of we’re now in a position where we can actually share these things, I think that’s why today is so important.”

Asked will he be able to enjoy the day with so much pressure on him, he said: “let’s be very very clear, there’s definitely going to be a lot of fun squeezed out of this.

“This is normally like my second birthday, so we will definitely be celebrating to the max.”