18/03/2008 02:13:00
Many cities in the UK chose to celebrate St Patrick's Day early this year, as Irish parades and festivals across the country took place on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 March, rather than the usual date of 17 March.
On Sunday, Birmingham played host to what some called the third largest St Patrick's Day parade in the world, after Dublin and New York. The parade saw 60 floats traverse the streets of Britain's second largest city, forming part of a 10-day celebration of Irish culture.
On the same day, the annual St Patrick's Day parade in London saw thousands of revellers descend on the capital, as bands and floats marched from Park Lane to Whitehall Place, while a festival of music and dance was held at Trafalgar Square
London's mayor Ken Livingstone, who organised the parade, told the BBC:
"London boasts one of the largest Irish communities outside Ireland. The St Patrick's Day festival and parade are an opportunity for all Londoners to experience the breadth of Irish culture and what it has brought to this city."
However, while many UK cities held their Irish festivities on Sunday, the Republic of Ireland officially marked St Patrick's Day as falling on Saturday 15 March this year, due to the early arrival of Easter.
Unlike many of the UK's cities, Glasgow adhered to the Irish date for St Patrick's Day in 2008 by erecting a traditional Irish village in the city's market square. Former GMTV presenter Eamonn Holmes also joined in the celebrations in the city.