Limerick: Limerick celebrated Europe's new era at the weekend by extending a warm hand of friendship to Slovenia, one of the 10 new members of the European Union.
The 'treaty city' was alive with colour and culture as it launched Riverfest 2004 to toast Slovenia's accession to the EU.
The weekend-long celebrations were launched on Friday night at a special twilight trading session of the city's popular Milk Market.
On Saturday the city's street theatre group, the Umbrella Project, joined forces with Slovenian company Serpentes with a carnival of music and song.
The Procession Of The Welcomes took place on Saturday at lunchtime when hundreds of onlookers basked in the sunshine for the colourful parade.
George's Quay was transformed for the day when it hosted the biggest barbecue ever held in Europe. A team of 50 chefs, from all over the world, cooked up a storm for hundreds of delighted onlookers who were able to sample what was on offer.
Preparations for the weekend festivities began early last week when 40 Slovenian flags were erected in the city.
Anyone planning a holiday to the new EU member-state was able to find out all they needed to know from the Slovenian Tourist Board stand which was located at George's Quay.
On Saturday night the banks of the Abbey river embraced the Slovenian tradition of the Day of Lights, when schoolchildren from across Limerick launched handmade lanterns down the river carrying their good hopes and wishes for Slovenia.
Yesterday, more than 100 businesses from Limerick and Slovenia attended a special business lunch in the city in a bid to establish new links between businesses from both countries.
Guest of honours at the lunch were the Slovenian Prime Minister, Mr Anton Rop, and the Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Dick Sadlier.