Let's party
Kyran O'Brien
Nicky Byrne with sons Rocco and Jay
Wednesday March 17 2010
PROUD dad Nicky Byrne was among the many thousands who turned out for Dublin's St Patrick Day's parade.
The Westlife singer took his twin boys Rocco and Jay, who will be three next month, to see the annual pageant, led this year by soccer legend Packie Bonner.
Crowds lined the streets of the capital as grand marshal and goalkeeping hero Bonner waved merrily from his vantage point at the head of the parade.
Some 3,000 performers took part this year – and they certainly didn’t disappoint, as the many locals and visitors clapped their appreciation.
Floats, street performers and marching bands from all over the world made sure the day was one to remember.
The Dublin parade was one of more then 100 parades held around the country, from Skibbereen, in Co Cork, to Dunfanaghy, in Co Donegal.
Beginning at Parnell Square at noon, the participants in Dublin made the 2km walk to St Patrick's Cathedral, via O'Connell Street, Dame Street and Christchurch Place.
The theme of this year's parade was the Extraordinary World.
Marching bands from India, North Carolina, Louisiana, Bulgaria, Austria, France, Spain and Britain added to the international flavour
CHEERED
Guinness hats and greenpainted faces were to be seen in abundance as the good-humoured masses of people cheered loudly for their favourite participants.
Thousands of locals and tourists arrived in the city centre early to ensure the best positions on the parade route.
- Cormac Murphy
