Fun, fireworks and parties to mark St Patrick's Day

The festival is not just a one- day affair -- organisers are offering a six-day helping of street theatre, music and visual arts to celebrate all things Irish.
The fun starts on March 12 and organisers promise the festivities won't be limited to Dublin.
And most importantly -- it is set to deliver a massive €58.3m cash boost to the Irish economy with one million people expected on the streets to watch festival events.
This year's parade will feature the work of pageant companies from all over Ireland and marching bands from the US, Bulgaria and France.
Vijaia Bateson of the Artastic street theatre company, who have created over 200 characters for the parade, said the theme of the project is a "topsy- turvey world".
"A world where everything is a little upside down and nobody takes things too seriously," he explained.
The festival finale -- late on St Patrick's night -- will be two concerts entitled 'A Celebration of Irish Voices'.
One will feature Dónal Lunny and leading folk figures in the National Concert Hall. The other will take place in The Olympia Theatre and feature traditional band Kíla.
CEO of St Patrick's Festival Susan Kirby said organisers suffered a cut in funding for this year's festivities but found creative ways around the problem.
Minister Martin Cullen said last night that the St Patrick's Festival provided the country with an "opportunity to enjoy the best contemporary celebration of Irish music, heritage, culture and community".
He said it "encompasses a feeling of what it means to be Irish -- and on most continents to be 'honorary Irish' -- for the day".
"It projects a very positive image of Ireland, an Ireland that has modernised and changed immeasurably, but still manages to maintain the very best of its culture and traditions."
Mr Cullen said the festival was "particularly good" for the Irish tourism industry.`