Glitz, glamour, shamrocks and Aran jumpers - Manhattan was where it was all happening on St Patrick's weekend, as what seemed like half of Ireland jumped ship and headed west.
NYC's lights always shine brightly and even more so this year with Dublin's festivities postponed and an all-star Irish line-up set to rock the Big Apple. Flights were booked out weeks in advance, party invitations were snapped up and "kissme-I'm-Irish" T-shirts were donned in preparation for a weekend of debauchery.
Dundalk band The Corrs, joined by Belfast singer Brian Kennedy, kicked off St Patrick's eve with a sell-out concert at Radio City Music Hall and celebrations afterwards at the Omni Berkshire hotel. With Fitzer's Bar in Fitzpatrick's hotel in Lexington Avenue the rendezvous point, taxis and limos criss-crossed midtown all night from one Irish venue to the next. Men in black tie jostled with lads in "Up The Dubs" T-shirts, waving dollar bills at the bar staff to try to get the drinks in. At Roseland Ballroom, Tuam band The Saw Doctors took the stage and roused the crowd with I Used To Love Her Once.
St Patrick's Day Mass at the magnificent St Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue was a distinguished affair. "Top of the morning to you" was the introductory greeting from the new Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Egan, to an Irish-American society gathering that included Senator Hillary Clinton, chairman of the parade John Dunleavy and Meath politician Paddy Fitzsimons.
Representing the Irish Government at the reviewing stand for the world's biggest parade later in the morning was Minister for Health Micheal Martin with wife Mary. Along with the Clintons, both had been guests of honour at the annual IrishAmerican Top 100 gala reception at the Plaza hotel. President of WNBC TV Denis Swanson was also there, along with New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, New York governor George Pataki and parade grand marshal Dr Edward Malloy.
Some 165,000 participants marched the two-mile Fifth Avenue route watched by crowds of close on two million people. By lunchtime, Robert McCormack's bar on Third Avenue and Rosie O'Grady's on Seventh Avenue were packed. The most glamorous event of the day was the second annual St Patrick's Day Parade dinner dance at the lavish Waldorf Astoria hotel. All the Ancient Order of Hibernian parade organisers and guests were here in black tie and high spirits.
Elsewhere in Hooley Central, Ireland's musical ambassadors, The Chieftains, were playing at Carnegie Hall, Shane MacGowan and the Popes were headlining the Viper Ball at Webster Hall, and Mary Black was on stage in Town Hall. Seen on the town at various points over the weekend were the McCourt brothers, Frank and Malachy, Aer Lingus chairman Bernie Cahill with his wife, Kathleen, and dancer Michael Flatley.