#StPatricksDay: ‘It’s like Mardi Gras on drugs’

A group of bedraggled teenage boys are shuffling around the pavement on middle Abbey Street as their teacher explains the agenda for the day.

“Please do not forget, you all need to meet me back here,” says the group leader as the teens’ attention wanders over his shoulder towards the sea of green gathering on O’Connell Street to watch the St Patrick’s Day parade.

Terry and his students touched down in Dublin airport first thing on Thursday morning after travelling for nearly two days from their home in Hawaii. They have just kicked off a ten-day school trip to Europe and despite a serious lack of sleep are "stoked" about exploring Dublin on St Patrick's Day.

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Xing Gao and Yonmeng Wang from China at the St Patricks’ Day parade in Dublin. Photograph: Sorcha Pollak

“We love this place, it seems very cool,” says Mikah, while his friends nod in agreement. “It’s like Mardi Gras on drugs. We’re just gonna cruise around, see the culture.”

Unlike the thousands of revellers milling around central Dublin, most of the boys are not dressed in green. However, one of them is sporting a newly purchased green ‘Ireland’ hat.

“My birthday’s on this day, so I guess that makes me kind of Irish,” says Josiah as he pulls his green beanie down over his ears.

Across the street a woman with dyed green hair dressed in green tights and shorts dotted with shamrocks is enthusiastically snapping selfies. Juli Carratela, Hernan Saavedra and Sergio Bianiotti didn't even know it was St Patrick's Day when they arrived in Ireland earlier this week.

"We were so happy when we realised we were going to be in Ireland for St Patrick's Day," says Carratela, an English teacher from the city of Cordoba in Argentina. "We found out in Belfast and it was like 'oh my god, it's St Patrick's day, we're here!'

“We’re spending seven days in Ireland and it’s incredible. It’s beautiful, the people are so friendly, everything is perfect.”

Branton Long, who is dressed in a full leprechaun outfit, is busy practising his Irish dancing skills on the pavement to the great amusement of a group of American admirers.

‘Run amok’

The Australian who lives in London bought the costume last year in the hopes of celebrating St Patrick’s day in the UK. When he had to work, he decided to travel to Dublin for the 2016 festival.

“I came over to make the most of it this year before I go home. You know, run amok.”

Asked what he has planned for the day he replies, “drinking, drinking and, em, drinking I guess.”

Jann Scharringhausen from Germany also purchased a special "traditional" outfit for the day. "I wanted to go back to the roots of St Patrick, I thought I should dress a bit more traditionally," says the student as he repositions his festive mitre on his head.

Jennifer Clarke and Christopher Hollins from Stratford-upon-Avon are channelling their Irish hair follicles by donning ginger beards for the day.

“We should have shaved his real beard off before sticking them on,” says Ms Clarke as she repositions Mr Hollins’s synthetic beard patches around his face. “We’ve gone ginger for the day on our chinny chin chins.”

“I’m not sure how long they’re going to last,” mumbles Mr Hollins as he scratches his new side-burns. “We brought them with us from home, we just came for the craic.”

Kathy Von Fleet did a big shop in Las Vegas before travelling to Ireland to ensure she and her friend Bona Collins were decked out in all the latest St Patrick's Day accessories. The women, who are on a "girls' vacation" and road trip around Ireland - "we left the husbands at home" - are hidden behind giant, shamrock-encrusted sunglasses and under furry green hats.

“If we’ve come all this way, we have to do it right,” says Ms Von Fleet.

Marty Murphy and David Lynch are the first Irish to be found after nearly an hour of wandering through the crowds in central Dublin.

“Coming in on the bus today there were French people, German, you name it,” says Murphy. “You want to call out, ‘does anybody speak Irish?’”

“We just wanted to wander around the whole city and capture the madness,” says Lynch, who is a photographer. “It’s amazing, just looking back at last year with the parade and the Brazilians alone. The colour they brought, the dance, the samba, the moves. It’s fantastic.”