St. Patrick's Day festivities in Clare have kicked off with the county's largest parade in Ennis.
Thousands lined the streets of the county town this morning, to see around 50 community, artistic, cultural and sporting groups take part in the traditional event.
This year's event also saw the formal signing of a twinning arrangement linking Ennis with the German town of Langenfeld.
Elsewhere, parades in Tulla and Shannon begin at 2:00, in Killaloe from 2:30 and and in Ennistymon, Kilrush and Miltown Malbay at 3 o'clock.
While there will also be a strong Clare presence tonight in the most famous St. Patrick's Day Parade to take place outside of Ireland.
In recognition of the 125th anniversary of the Clareman's Association in New York, a large Banner contingent will have a prominent placing in the honour unit at the head of the world's second-largest Patrick's Day Parade.
Heading the Clare grouping will be 29 members of the highly-acclaimed Tulla Pipe Band, who have travelled to the US for the first time since they were founded in 1936.
