FETED around the world as an opportunity to celebrate everything Irish, and maybe get a halfday off work, St Patrick's Day in Britain was marked with a glittering round of parties, parades, music and colour.
With London's main celebration held off until tomorrow, Irish communities around Britain staged dances, fancy dress nights and traditional ceili music throughout the week, and the day itself was a subtle blend of personal celebration and a chance to have good old-fashioned fun.
The highlights included a black-tie dinner at the Hilton Hotel in London organised by the Irish Club and attended by the Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan; and a National Day reception earlier in the week at the Irish Embassy, hosted by the Irish Ambassador to Britain, Mr Edward Barrington, and his wife, Clare Barrington, which was attended by an array of politicians, media folk and the great and the good of Irish society in Britain.
The Millennium Dome on the banks of the Thames was designated an "Irish zone" for the day, with the roof illuminated in green and gold.
Dancers, musicians and jugglers donned the green, white and orange uniform of St Patrick's Day and treated thousands of visitors to an Irish-themed riot of colour and dancing.
Those who embraced the St Patrick's day cheer and made the effort to "drown the Shamrock" had their pick of the hundreds of "Oirish" theme pubs and restaurants around the country, most of them screening the GAA club finals in hurling and football.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to nominate every night of the past week as an Irish theme night, the large Irish communities in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham turned St Patrick's Day into St Patrick's week. All three cities held their official parades a week early and followed them up with Irish quiz nights, Irish activity days and fancy-dress competitions.
Glasgow celebrated with its annual Aer Lingus-Bord Failte breakfast, and later in the day the Minister of State for Public Enterprise, Mr Joe Jacob, attended the city's St Patrick's Day Ball. Not to be outdone, the Irish communities in Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil celebrated with a colourful mixture of music and dancing and the chance to raise funds for Irish aid projects around the world.
London's official St Patrick's parade gets under way tomorrow led by the Killeshin Pipe Band, followed by Mass at Westminster Cathedral led by the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Dr Lawrence Ryan, and followed with a day of celebration at the Irish Centre in Camden Town.
The first St Patrick's Day parade in Leeds takes place tomorrow. It begins in the city centre at 11.30 a.m. and ends at the Irish Centre where people will be invited, if they can stick the pace, to listen to more traditional music and enjoy a taste of Irish cuisine.
Another city having its first St Patrick's Day is Bristol. Its parade takes place in the city centre today and will end with its first St Patrick's Day dance.