- Millions of revelers drank Guinness and wore green to celebrate St. Patrick’s
St. Patrick’s Day revelers are likely to wake up with a sore head today after millions drank pints of Guinness and donned leprechaun hats and shamrocks while celebrating the Irish holiday.
The streets of London, Leeds and Newcastle were filled with huge crowds all day and well into the night yesterday, with many revelers draped in flags and dressed in green.
Huge parades of Irish brass bands, dance troupes and sculptures marched through towns and villages across the country to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint. The London parade was the largest in Britain with an estimated 50,000 participants.
There were huge queues outside Ireland’s biggest bars with a sea of green waiting to get into Waxy O’Connor’s in London, which is widely praised for its live music in the six-storey Soho venue.
And there will be a few sore heads this morning after a million pints of Guinness have been consumed.
LEEDS: A group of friends take to the streets to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a green sweater and leprechaun hat on display
LEEDS: A group of students, decked out in green, pose for a photo as they enjoy the festivities
LEEDS: Four students are jumping for joy in green shamrock-themed outfits
LEEDS: A group of revelers in green sweaters and T-shirts pose
LEEDS: Revelers in leprechaun hats gather outside a pub
LEEDS: An excited woman poses for a photo as revelers in shamrock-themed outfits enjoy the festivities
There were also numerous performances, shows and events held across the country to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
In Leeds, students decked out in green took to the streets to celebrate the day in a relaxed manner.
And there were similar scenes in Newcastle as revelers got involved in the festivities.
Meanwhile, the Irish Guards paid a moving tribute to their absent Colonel, the Princess of Wales, during their annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade yesterday afternoon.
Kate, 42, was replaced at yesterday’s traditional parade in Aldershot by Lady Ghika, wife of Lieutenant Colonel Major General Sir Christopher Ghika.
LONDON: Thousands gather in Trafalgar Square to enjoy live traditional Irish music at the end of the parade
LONDON: A child in a leprechaun-themed outfit takes part in the parade in Trafalgar Square
LONDON: Revelers watch the parade in central London
LONDON: A woman wrapped in an Irish flag smiles as the parade goes by
ALDERSHOT: The Irish Guards parade went ahead as members of the regiment took part in the festivities
ALDERSHOT: Lady Ghika, wife of Major General Sir Christopher Ghika, has replaced the Princess of Wales at this year’s Irish Guards St. Patrick’s Day parade
NEWCASTLE: A group of four friends dressed as gnomes enjoy the atmosphere
NEWCASTLE: Revelers gather outside a pub as the festivities got underway
NEWS CASTLE: Students wore green cowboy hats as they celebrated Ireland’s patron saint
NEWCASTLE: A crowd of partygoers in leprechaun hats and green costumes pose
NEWCASTLE: Revelers were dressed in green yesterday afternoon as they soaked up the atmosphere
NEWCASTLE: Green and black leprechaun hats were a common sight yesterday
Dressed in a plum coat dress, Lady Ghika presented the Irish Guards mascot, Seamus the dog, with a clover, as is customary during the parade.
At the end of the parade, the troops raised their hats and gave three cheers in honor of the absent princess.
It was a long weekend for some, as many revelers started the party early on Saturday evening.