IN the land that calls Patrick its patron saint, it is deeply regrettable that much of the reporting around St Patrick's Day inevitably focuses on antisocial behaviour in the Holylands area of south Belfast.
This has become an annual feature in the district where rented accommodation is popular with young people, including students from Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University.
Permanent residents, who include families and older people, tolerate a generally unacceptable level of antisocial behaviour throughout the year. This reaches a crescendo on St Patrick's Day.
Alcohol plays a significant factor in the antisocial behaviour and disturbances, including assaults against police officers, which accompanies the so-called festivities.
The scale of the problem, as reported by this newspaper, is reflected in the 30,000 units of alcohol seized by council officials - equivalent to around 15,000 cans of beer - and the 1,800 complaints of antisocial behaviour recorded in the Holylands over the past three years alone.
Little wonder that residents fear their area being turned into little more than an on-street drinking festival on St Patrick's Day.
Churches and community groups in the district will be doing their part to help calm tensions today and tomorrow.
Belfast City Council and the PSNI have also promised to have a strong presence on the ground and the universities have again warned that students caught up in antisocial behaviour will face disciplinary action.
Residents, weary from years of St Patrick's Day festivities that go well beyond socially acceptable revelry or high spirits, will say they have heard similar promises before.
It is clear that the students and young people involved need to take personal responsibility for their behaviour, including binge drinking, and show respect for other residents.
A quieter and better natured March 17 would be a step towards a more mature celebration of St Patrick.
