On The Town: There were rashers, scrambled eggs, black and white puddings and, of course, sprigs of shamrock on offer on St Patrick's Day at the Trinity College Dining Hall in Dublin.
The Baileys Festival Breakfast, which took place before the parade, was attended by people from the business, political and artistic worlds.
The parade's four grand marshals - Paddy Maguinness of Concern, John O'Shea of Goal, Carmel Dunne of the Irish Red Cross, and Justin Kilcullen of Trócaire - were all present. Mary Davis, the festival's chairwoman, and Minister for Children Brian Lenihan welcomed guests to the breakfast.
Producer and director Bill Hughes had more than just St Patrick's Day to celebrate: his TV film, Happy Birthday, Oscar Wilde, is up for a Golden Rose award in Lucerne, Switzerland, in May, he said.
Tony Ó Dálaigh, former director of the Dublin Theatre Festival, his wife, Mags, and their son, Ruaidhrí, were also among those at the champagne breakfast.
"And now I've returned with gold in great store/ and I never will play the wild rover no more," sang Paddy Brown, of Scallywag, the group who entertained guests as croissants and coffee were served.
Publisher Norah Casey, chair of the Mayor of London's Festival, had just returned from the UK to celebrate in Dublin with her son, Dara (aged six), and her husband, Richard Hannaford.
Singer Mary Coughlan was also at the breakfast, with her daughter, Clare Bonadio (13), and her son, Cian Bonadio (eight), who was one of the day's judges at the parade. Both Donal Shiels, chief executive of the St Patrick's Festival, and photographer Tom Lawlor, whose suggestion that the parade start on the north rather than the south side in order to prevent the sun's glare from ruining camera and television shots, was taken up this year, returned glowing having walked the route at 7.30am. "It's a great time to walk through the city," said Shiels.
Then it was time to look ahead to the parade, which was to be followed by the Céilí Mór at Earlsfort Terrace with the Kilfenora Céilí Band and Seamus Begley.