Landmarks Go Green for St. Patrick’s Day Around the World

DUBLIN (AP) — Landmark buildings across Ireland and the world have been floodlit green for on St. Patrick’s Day as global celebrations of the Emerald Isle’s patron saint are culminating in parades and celebrations in Dublin, New York and other cities Tuesday.

Here are some St. Patrick’s Day events happening around the world:

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IRELAND

President Michael Higgins attended Mass at Dublin’s pro-Cathedral, where Catholic Archbishop Diarmuid Martin blessed sprigs of shamrock in the traditional start to Ireland’s national holiday.

Hundreds of thousands of Dubliners and tourists are expected to line the route of the Dublin parade, the culmination of a four-day festival featuring music and dance performances, pub crawls, cultural tours and street arcades.

Later Tuesday, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny is guest of honor at the White House. Almost his entire Cabinet has spent the past week traveling worldwide to promote Ireland.

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BRITAIN

At a barracks in Aldershot, England, Prince William and his heavily pregnant wife, Kate, marked the day by presenting shamrocks to soldiers from the Irish Guards.

Kate, 33, handed out baskets of shamrocks and pinned a sprig on the collar of the regiment’s mascot, an Irish wolfhound called Domhnall. The 3-year-old dog was also treated to a sip of Guinness after the ceremony.

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FRANCE

In Paris, the iconic Sacre Coeur basilica atop Montmartre is being lit up green for the occasion. Irish pubs will be full across the city, from the Green Goose near Place de la Nation to Carr’s by the Louvre.

On the Champs Elysees, the Publicis Drugstore is hosting an Irish meal and whisky tasting. In the Latin Quarter, the 18th-century College des Irlandais is hosting a concert by traditional Irish band Kila.

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

In the Middle Eastern city of Abu Dhabi, a landmark tower in the oil-rich emirate was lit up green. The Irish ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Patrick Hennessy, was on hand to mark the event at the Etihad Towers.

The iconic luxury Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, with its sail-like shape overlooking the Persian Gulf, was also lit up green.

The lighting was organized by Tourism Ireland, which is responsible for promoting travel to the island. The group says that up to 55,000 people from the Arab Gulf monarchies visited Ireland in 2013.

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Associated Press writers Sylvia Hui in London, Greg Keller in Paris, and Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.