MICHAEL Flatley will lead the St Patrick’s Day parade through London city centre this Sunday in a day-long event that will end with a performance from Riverdance, the show where the Irish American dancer made his name.
Flatley will lead thousands of Irish people in a celebratory parade through the streets of the capital, before finishing up at Trafalgar Square where a concert will be staged.
That concert will be headlined by his old friends in Riverdance, although Flatley is not expected to perform alongside them.
He will then fly to Cork on Monday where he will serve as Grand Marshal in that city's parade.
The 2014 theme at the London parade is World of Dance, which will celebrate the rich heritage of performing arts in Ireland.
The parade of floats will travel a 1.5 mile route past some of London’s most iconic landmarks, including The Ritz, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and on to Whitehall.
The Irish Post will be at St Patrick’s Day asking people to tweet us their pictures from the day.
London Irish sports clubs, dance schools, marching bands and community organisations will be out in force, joined by arts company Emergency Exit Arts, who are bringing a five metre high St Patrick and a huge firebird breathing a fountain of sparks.
The full line up of events with MC Maggie Doyle at the main stage on Trafalgar Square is:
12:00pm London Irish Music School - Irish music & dance
12:40pm Daithi Ó’Drónaí - tradition meets electronica
1:05pm Irish Harp Orchestra
1:20pm Speeches
1:30pm The Commitments
2:00pm Mulkere Music Academy
2:40pm Mundy - Irish singer-songwriter
3:00pm Once The Musical
3:30pm Jig - fresh Irish dance meets archive footage
3:50pm Kila - legendary Irish traditional group
4:45pm Late Late Show Band & special guests
5:40pm Finale: Riverdance - 20th Anniversary Set
