Patrick Kielty will lead the country's main St Patrick's Day parade.
The presenter and comedian has been announced as Grand Marshal for the Dublin celebrations.
The theme of this year's festival and parade is spréach - or spark.
The celebrations kick off on March 15th – while there’s two days of events at the Festival Quarter at Collins Baracks.
Spark
Patrick says: "I couldn’t be more excited to be this year’s Grand Marshal and can’t thank the Festival enough for asking me to be part of our biggest day.
"It’s such a honour to be asked and I was genuinely gobsmacked when the call came in. When you’re lucky enough to be called Patrick, St Patrick’s Day always feels like an extra birthday and I can’t wait to get the world’s biggest party started on March 17th.”
Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de Róiste says: "The National St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of our most special occasions, celebrating the Spréach of the people of Ireland, which unites us all both here in Dublin and across the globe. As my first St. Patrick’s Festival as Lord Mayor of Dublin, I am so looking forward to watching the many pageants and marching bands that make up this spectacular event.
"It’s also Patrick Kielty’s first year in his role as host of the iconic Late Late Show, and so I’m delighted to see him selected as our Grand Marshal for this year’s Parade. I’d encourage everyone to come together and enjoy all that the city has to offer this St. Patrick’s Day."
St. Patrick’s Festival CEO, Richard Tierney says: "With more participants than ever before, this year’s national St. Patrick’s Day Parade is shaping up to be the most spectacular National St. Patrick’s Day Parade yet. We’re thrilled to have Patrick Kielty as our Grand Marshal for this year, someone who truly appreciates the spark of the Irish and who celebrates it through his work on our screens every Friday night.
"An expert in entertainment, we’re sure he’ll be thrilled by the incredible talent that will be showcased across the city on March 17th.”
With half a million spectators expected to line this year’s route, the Parade will feature 18 pageants and performance showpieces, 14 marching bands from across Ireland, North America and France and over 4,000 participants in what is shaping up to be the largest ever National St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
