A daring on-the-water display from Zap Cat speedboats began St. Patrick's Day eve proceedings in Kinsale Harbour on Thursday night.
A flotilla of 14 Kinsale Yacht Club yachts, local boats and fishing trawlers dressed with fairy lights paraded from Charles Fort to the Pier before a fireworks display at the West Cork Harbour.
A huge crowd gathered on the Pier, including visitors from Singapore, Germany the United States – to name but a few – welcomed the man of the moment, St. Patrick himself, at the flotilla's head.
A flotilla of 14 Kinsale Yacht Club yachts, local boats and fishing trawlers dressed with fairy lights paraded from Charles Fort to the Pier for the start of the St. Patricks Day festivities Photo: Bob Bateman
The fireworks display lit the night sky as the yachts passed the Pier.
The RNLI lifeboat also joined the flotilla.
Kinsale Yacht Club Commodore Matthias Hellstern (left) welcomes the Mayor of Newport, Rhode Island, USA, to Kinsale for St. Patricks Day festivities Photo: Bob Bateman
Later, ashore, the Mayor of Newport, Rhode Island, USA, was decorated with the Grand Marshal Sash for the St Patrick’s Day Parade by Paul Carty of Fáilte Ireland.
