St Patrick’s day: Hundreds of revellers in Belfast and Derry line up for annual drinks and festivities

WHILE families across Ireland got their prime positions for St Patrick’s Day parades, revellers in Belfast and Derry formed long queues outside pubs from early morning.

The Hatfield and Rose & Crown on south Belfast’s Ormeau Road was the favourite spot, with hundreds of young partygoers lining up outside.

Across the street in the Holyland area, even more were preparing for the festivities with their carrier bags from off-licenses.

The reputation the area has attracted for anti-social behaviour from drunk students has perhaps not been as pronounced in recent years, but a police presence and wardens from universities still had a visible presence to assure other residents.

In Derry, the party atmosphere was just as strong along Waterloo street as many wearing the popular St Patrick’s Day uniform of jeans and green sports tops waited patiently to order their first drink of the day from The Rocking Chair bar.