Breaking with tradition for a second year running, it did not rain on the Dublin St Patrick's Day parade. Spectators enjoyed a day of sunshine, which fitted nicely with this year's festival theme, "Glorious".
In another break from the norm, the Grand Marshal, Miss World, Rosanna Davison, did not lead off the line-up of floats and was not even in the top 10, only making it to number 11 in the list of spectacles.
Stilt-walkers Ariel Killick and Margo Barrow started off the 90-minute march carrying the opening banner of the parade. Next came the military men and women of the Army No 1 Band, closely followed by the FCA marchers, the Garda dog unit and the EU flag bearers (also members of the FCA).
The first foreign guests were the Canadian Mounties riding horses provided by the Garda Mounted Unit, who followed closely behind.
The first cheer from the crowd was raised for honorary Irish woman and former pop star, Kerry McFadden, who travelled in the Lord Mayor's gold and glass carriage, which weighs three tonnes.
Ms McFadden was accompanied by the Lord Mayor's wife, Ms Michelle Brady. Former Westlife star Bryan McFadden had also been billed to ride in the carriage, but did not attend.
Music from the Garda Band and the traditional performance from Mr Wonderbike, who hasn't missed a parade in more than 30 years, ushered in Miss World, who headed up the "theatrical section" of the parade as Grand Marshal.
Ms Davison, who was chosen for the job as "a hero to the young", according to the festival organisers, displayed all the poise and dignity of the ultimate pageant queen as she rode in an open-top car, wearing a stunning green suit and her Miss World crown.
The theatrical line-up, more traditionally known as "the floats", was led by inflatable bird characters from the latest Lyons tea advertisement campaign, who made way for chariot-driving warriors from Co Down.
The warriors were followed by "oppressed shackled slaves", with widows and waifs trailing rats on strings, providing a compelling start to the floats section.
Spraoi from Waterford added some good old-fashioned swashbuckling to the mix, with an end-of-battle siege complete with "comely maidens" in chastity belts. Wexford theatre company Buí Bolg carried on the warrior theme with a classic Celtic pageant based on the legend of Cú Chulainn.
Animals, particularly the mythical kind, got a look in on numerous floats.
Púca, a 140 ft long "water creature" from Co Clare, made a return appearance to the parade. A newcomer, the Lion of Arras, initially described by parade commentator Mr Gary Jermynas "a giant French bear", dominated Patrick Street at 35 feet, and made frequent lunges into the crowd as it made its way up the hill towards Christ Church cathedral.
Dragons, fish, birds and "horned beasts" rounded off the animal theme in the Glory of Nature from the Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Dún Laoghaire.
The organisers indicated that about 500,000 people watched the parade, although the Garda estimate was "in excess of 200,000".
The parade had its usual sprinkling of American marching bands, but particular welcome was reserved for a bagpipe band from Madrid, Lume de Biqueira.
The band decided to go ahead with their plans to participate in the parade, despite past week's terrorist attack on Madrid.
They wore white ribbons in memory of the victims of the attack and were accompanied on their march by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr Royston Brady.
