Tipperary: Towns throughout Co Tipperary celebrated Saint Patrick's Day and invited dignitaries and children from twin towns in other parts of Europe.
Large delegations from Prémilhat, in the Auvergne region of France, and the Adriatic coastal town of Potenza Picena in Italy, attended a large and colourful parade in Templemore, which has signed twinning charters with the two towns.
The parade's grand marshal was the Prémilhat mayor, Claude Andre.
Among the other dignitaries present was the mayor of Potenza Picena, Sergio Paolucci. A group of young pen-pals from the Italian town and Templemore met for the first time.
In Clonmel, up to 30 visitors from twin towns joined in the celebrations, which happened to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the twinning of the Tipperary capital with the Italian towns of Gangi and Costa Masnaga.
Gordon Deegan
Clare: The Burren village of Kilfenora yesterday became Craggy Island for a day as props from the popular Father Ted comedy TV series dominated the parade.
Patricia Kelly led the parade in her role as "Mayor of Kilfenora" after a local fundraising charity drive for the community's older citizens raised €13,000.
The 25 floats - many with a spring theme - used the roundabout that featured in the Father Ted "Speed" episode.
Many of the outdoor scenes from Father Ted were shot in and around Kilfenora and a lot of props have been left behind, with one large prop from the "King of the Sheep" episode amusing the large crowds from all over north Clare that turned out to view the large parade on the town's main street.
Fifteen miles away in Ennis, thousands lined the streets for a parade with a strong environmental theme in a community that last year won the the national Tidy Towns competition.