St. Patrick’s Day around the world

Belfast, Northern Ireland

A real, live shamrock? Hundreds of thousands of revelers throughout Ireland were gathering Monday for celebrations to mark the annual St. Patrick’s Day national holiday.  (Peter Muhly / AFP/Getty Images)

Belfast, Northern Ireland

One little leprechaun has a spring in her step at Belfast’s St. Patrick’s Day parade on Monday.  (Peter Muhly / AFP/Getty Images)

London

An Irish woman gets into the festive spirit Sunday during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in London. Thousands of Londoners and Irish folks turned out for the annual parade, when marching bands and colorful floats wind their way past the capital’s landmarks.  (Andy Rain/ EPA)

Oslo, Norway

A man, dressed as St. Patrick, takes part in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Oslo on Saturday. The Oslo St Patrick’s Day Assn. was founded in 2000 by Irish expatriates living in Norway. They hold the parade on a weekend nearest the day itself.  (SOLUM, STIAN LYSBERG / EPA)

Copenhagen, Denmark

Participants wait in the rain and snow Monday for the annual St Patrick’s Day parade to begin in Copenhagen, a city not usually associated with the Irish tradition.  (John McConnico/ AP)

Seoul, South Korea

The banners are green and in English as participants in St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Seoul march through the streets on Saturday.  (Ahn Young-joon/ Associated Press)

Tokyo, Japan

Members of the Irish Setter Club and their dogs march during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Tokyo on Sunday. Some 2,000 people took part in the parade to commemorate the Irish patron saint.  (Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images)

Beijing

A Chinese man wears a festive costume while attending a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Beijing on Sunday. The parade is the first of its kind in China’s capital and was organized by the Irish embassy to inaugurate Ireland Week, scheduled from Saturday through March 21.  (Michael Reynolds/ EPA)

Moscow, Russia

Russians participate in a St. Patrick’s Day parade on Sunday. The parade is organized annually by the Irish embassy in Moscow. St. Patrick’s Day parades are now held not only throughout Ireland but also in countries with sizable immigrant communities, such as the United States and Britain.  (Alexey Sazonov / AFP/Getty Images)

Munich, Germany

A woman and her dog are pictured in front of the Victory Gate in Munich during a Saint Patrick’s Day parade in the German city on Sunday.  (Volker Dornberger/ EPA)

Montreal, Canada

Thousands of people dressed in green and attended the 184th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Montreal on Sunday.  (Graham Hughes/ Associated Press)

Montreal, Canada

Simon Rielly enjoys the festivities at the 184th consecutive St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Montreal on Sunday.  (Graham Hughes/ Associated Press)

Toronto, Canada

Sean the Leprechaun gets giddy Sunday during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Toronto.  (Aaron Harris/ Associated Press)

Peterborough, Canada

Flex the bulldog is dressed for the occasion during the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Ontario on Sunday.  (Clifford Skarstedt/ Associated Press)

New York

A parade horse in Irish gear makes its way up 5th Avenue during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York on Monday.  (Timothy A. Clary, AFP/Getty Images)

New York

Ciara, left, and Niall Casey dressed in Irish colors to cheer on marching bands at the annual parade in the city.  (Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images)

Washington, D.C.

Members of the New York Fire Department Emerald Society march down the Cross Hall of the White House on Monday for a St. Patrick’s Day ceremony with President Bush and Irish Prime Minister Bernie Ahern.  (Gerald Herbert/ Associated Press)

Savannah, Ga.

John Giblin, of Belmar, N.J., plays bagpipes with the Pipes and Drums of the Jersey Shore Shillelagh during the St. Patrick’s Day parade Friday in Savannah. The Southern town boasts the nation’s second-largest St. Patrick’s parade, behind New York City, and typically draws up to 400,000 revelers each year.  (Stephen Morton/ Associated Press)

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Supporters of presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama gather behind a green horse during a St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday. Presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton marched in the parade, which comes before Pennsylvania’s presidential primary, scheduled for April 22.  (Jeff Swensen/ Getty Images)

New Orleans

Vickie Lory of New Orleans tries to get float riders to toss her more beads and other toys on Magazine Street during a St. Patrick’s Day parade. The 61st annual Irish Channel Mass and Parade was celebrated Saturday throughout the Irish Channel neighborhood.  (Matthew Hinton / AFP/Getty Images)

Detroit

Grant Burgard, 4, and his sister, Sarah Burgard, 2, get ready to watch the 50th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Detroit on Sunday.  (Susan Tusa/ Associated Press)

St. Paul, Minn.

A greyhound named Tiki Time gets in the spirit during the St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown St. Paul on Saturday. Usually celebrated on March 17, the Roman Catholic Church officially moved St. Patrick’s Day up two days because it conflicts with Holy Week, the week before Easter.  (Brandi Jade Thomas/ Associated Press)

St. Paul, Minn.

Jeff Schmitz pumps up the crowd during the St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown St. Paul, Minn., on Saturday.  (Brandi Jade Thomas/ Associated Press)

Boston, Mass.

Pat Cosgrove of Dublin plays bagpipes Sunday with the Irish Prison Service Pipe Band in south Boston, a city known for its Irish immigrants.  (Josh Reynolds / Associated Press)

Boston

Sgt. Joseph Mallory of Chicago plays tuba as he marches with the 2nd Marine Division Band during the St. Patrick’s Day parade in south Boston on Sunday.  (Josh Reynolds/ Associated Press)