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With people in Britain and throughout the world planning to celebrate St Patrick's Day this weekend, Dublin will be one of the major centres for travelling partygoers, it has been claimed.

St Patrick's Day falls on 17 March this year but a festival in Dublin will begin on 13 March and continue over the weekend, culminating in a parade through the city.

A spokeswoman for Tourism Ireland said: 'Dublin is still an extremely popular destination for St Patrick's Day.

'In recent years the holiday has become the focal point of a festival in Dublin which reflects the diverse talents of the Irish and increasingly international people.'

She went on to explain that the festival was once held on a single day but has expanded to a week and now attracts an international audience of more than 1m people.

The celebrations include days of music and entertainment events including street theatre, fireworks displays, pageants, exhibitions and dance.

Tourism Ireland is currently trying to promote longer holidays to the destination, rather than short city breaks, and is soon to release a brochure encouraging people to venture out of the cities and explore the countryside.

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