Galway Bay fm newsroom - St Patrick’s Day celebrations will get underway across the city and county in the next couple of hours.
Parades across Galway will feature special guest performers, family activities and a host of costume and float competitions.
The theme of this year's city parade is 'Environment.'
In recognition of the city's European Green Leaf 2017 title Galway 2020 is teaming up with the 'Let’s Get Galway Growing' network to create a vibrant moving garden that will snake its way through the streets of Galway.
Macnas will also participate, with a giant owl float accompanied by the Cloughanover drummers.
The parade gets underway at Father Griffin Road at 11.30 this morning.
In the county, the first parade to get underway will be in Athenry.
The parade begins after 11am mass.
The next to kick off will be Spiddal's parade, which gets underway at 11.45.
Claregalway is gearing up for a day of music, dance, sports and family entertainment.
The parade gets underway at Hughes' Courtyard in the vilage at noon.
In Mountbellew, there'll be live music in the square from noon with the Kings of Connacht.
Prizes will be given for the most original, funniest and most topical parade entries among others.
At 12.30, festivities will kick off in Portumna with live music and a variety of participants from across the town.
The celebrations get underway at the Mart car park.
'Country Culture' is the theme for Gort's 2017 St Patrick's Day parade.
The event also gets underway at Church Street at 12.30 this afternoon.
It'll coincide with the start of the fun filled festivities in Dunmore and Abbeyknockmoy.
Abbeyknockmoy's parade starts at 12.30 at Treacy's car park, and will be followed by a childrens disco at the Abbey Inn.
Clifden's festivities kick off at 12.30pm.
Headford's parade will start at the GAA pitch at 12.45.
There will be a farmers' market and live music on the square before and after the event.
The Tuam St.Patrick's Day parade will be a celebration of art and music.
'An Artist's Town' will get underway at the square at 1pm, and the parade will begin at 2pm.
Oughterard's annual celebrations also get underway at 1pm.
It starts at Bridge Street, and families are being invited to wear green and join in the fun.
Glenamaddy's parade starts at 1pm and will be hosted by the Glenamaddy & District Residents & Traders Association.
Kinvara's parade will also take place at 1 today, and starts at the top of the Moy Road.
Loughrea's parade will take a new route this St Patrick's Day.
The 'Swan Lake' themed parade will get underway from Barrack Street at 1pm - finishing on the Mart Road.
At 1.30, Ballinasloe's parade will kick off from the Fairgreen carpark.
Highlights will include performances by the Ballinasloe Town Band, and prizes are being offered across five categories.
Immigration is the theme of the parade in Castleblakeney this year.
The event will feature a variety of music and dance performances, and gets underway at 2pm.
In Moycullen the fun kicks off at 2.30 at Sweeney's filling station.
The parade will finish at An Fuarán, and will be followed by live music.
Roundstones parade will also take place at 2.30.
Oranmore's parade starts at 3.30 from Supervalu, making its way through village.
The parade stand will be located in front of the library.
Ahascragh's family fun parade begins at 4pm.
This year, the parade will take a different route, starting at St Cuan's Hall.
The final parade today will take place in Clonberne village.
Floats will assemble at the church in Clonberne at 5 this evening.
