Downpatrick: Record crowds lined Downpatrick's narrow streets to celebrate St Patrick's Day in Northern Ireland's largest ever cross-community parade.
A family focused event, the centrepiece of the activities was a spectacular cavalcade of floats, bands, costumed dancers and novelty characters under a "Rock 'n' Roll Rainbow" theme.
A pink Cadillac led the way in Downpatrick's most successful parade to date as an estimated 25,000-strong crowd responded noisily to the call - "Do you want to rock 'n' roll?"
With 65 entries in the parade, rock music mingled with samba, jazz and pipe music to the delight of enthusiastic onlookers, though the biggest cheer was reserved for St Patrick himself - alias Lynn Corry.
Norwegian schoolchildren and Japanese tourists mingled with those a little closer to home as visitors across Europe and Ireland made Downpatrick their choice for St Patrick's Day.
Locals are justifiably proud of their parade, and of Downpatrick's claim to the patron saint. What makes this event unique, however, is that no flags are allowed to be flown, apart from St Patrick's own flag.
Speaking before leading the afternoon parade, Robert Burgess, Down Council chairman and Ulster Unionist councillor, said: "The Downpatrick St Patrick's Day celebrations have had a cross-community element for as long as I can remember and there have been major efforts in this direction, certainly over the last five years."
He added: "We don't seem to have had the problems that, for example, the Belfast organisers have experienced.
"Some people have tried to play party politics with this issue and that sadly seems to have taken precedence in other areas."
St Patrick is said to have sailed to Ireland through Strangford Lough, landing at the mouth of the Slaney River around Saul, close to Downpatrick, where he built his first church.
While no one can be certain of the exact location of St Patrick's grave, a memorial stone outside Down Cathedral has marked his grave since 1900.