On March 17th you could not be in a better place than the land of ‘Saints and Scholars’ to celebrate Ireland’s national day with lots of parades, music, dancing and carnivals.

No matter where you go you won’t be able to avoid the fantastic celebrations of St.Patrick’s Day!

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in towns and cities right across the globe, but it’s probably fair to say that nowhere can match the excitement and atmosphere of St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland.

In Ireland almost everywhere is closed with the exception of pubs and restaurants. As it is a religious holiday, many Irish people start the day by going to mass and offering prayers for the Saint and missionaries all over the world. After that people flock to their local village or town to see the annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade – and this is where the real celebrations begin!

If you happen to be in Ireland for the 17th March and want to do some serious Paddy’s Day celebrating, then head to Dublin city where there is a St. Patrick’s Festival that lasts for not one, but five whole days!

This year it is on from the 15th-19th of March and is jam-packed with lots of fun and entertainment for all the family with concerts, street music, a fun-fair, a circus, a parade, a treasure hunt, street performers and lots more. The highlight of the festival is the parade, which you won’t want to miss! Grab your camera and find a good viewing spot on Dublin’s O’Connell Street for 12 noon to witness the excitement.

Here is a guide to other St.Patrick’s Day Festivities:

Soak up the atmosphere on the 17th of March in Cork city where the parade starts at 1pm. There will also be a funfair and a food market. Macroom in County Cork also has a parade, which starts at 3.30pm. It has lots of great marching bands from Boston, Philadelphia, Brittany and Italy.

The town of Killarney in County Kerry sees the St. Patrick’s Day festivities kick off at 1pm at the Market Cross in the town centre where the All-Ireland Ceoltas Champions Kilcummin will provide entertainment in the form of Irish music and dance. The Parade starts at 2pm and is known to be one of the most colourful and entertaining parades in Ireland. This year it has 7 marching bands and lots of local groups and clubs. In the evening the pubs come alive with traditional Irish music sessions.

If you are in the south-east of Ireland pop along to see parades in the cities of Kilkenny and Waterford, which are sure to dazzle you with their display!

Limerick city boasts its own St. Patrick’s Springfest from March 14th- 19th. It has a full programme of entertainment for the week but the main event is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This year’s theme is “Irish Myths & Legends” and the parade starts at 12 noon.

Galway city has a St. Patrick’s Day Parade that never fails to entertain! It starts at 12.30 pm and features international and local pipe bands, dance groups, performers, colourful floats and lots more.

If you are going to be in the north west of the country for the 17th March, then make your way to Letterkenny or Sligo.

Navan is hosting a Shamrock Festival from the 13th -19th March, where you can enjoy a spectacular floating parade on the river, a street parade, a fireworks display, a fun-fair and much more.

To get into the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, some people were green clothes, eat green ice-cream and some might even dye their hair green! Shops stock up on flags, hats and T-shirts. And of course, it’s also a tradition here to “drown the shamrock” so hitting the pubs for a few pints of the black stuff is not uncommon!

No matter where you are in Ireland, you have no excuse not to enjoy yourself on the 17th March, as nobody celebrates St.Patrick’s Day like the Irish!

Why not visit Ireland and experience the magic and excitement for yourself? With St.Patrick’s Day 2007 looming, check out our accommodation offers NOW  – and you might be inspired!

Have you ever been to Ireland for St.Patrick’s Day? Tell us about your experience, or any tips and advise that you might like to share with us…