DUBLIN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A grand parade was held in the Irish capital Dublin on Thursday to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, Ireland's national day which falls on March 17 every year.
For years, the parade has been an indispensable and perhaps the most exciting part of the celebrations in Dublin on Saint Patrick's Day. However, it has been suspended along with other public celebrations since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
As Ireland has now scrapped nearly all the COVID-19 restrictions, the parade has returned back to the city for the first time in three years. An estimated 400,000 people participated in Thursday's celebrations in Dublin, organizers told local media.
The theme of this year's festival is "Connections," they said, adding that they intend to strengthen connections between people which have been seriously disrupted by the pandemic through arts, culture and heritage.
Thursday's parade in Dublin featured dozens of marching bands and dancing groups from all walks of life in addition to various other shows. Marching bands from Britain, Germany and the United States also participated in the parade which lasted more than two hours.
Meanwhile, celebrations were also held in the other parts of Ireland on Thursday. ■
