The last of the St Patrick's Day events held as part of this year's six-day festival are getting under way today.
The festival celebrations are the second to take place in the pandemic and this year events have moved online.
While level five restrictions remain in place, people both at home and abroad can enjoy the online events, including virtual tours and parades.
Meanwhile, almost 700 global landmarks will turn green to mark the day, with a record 66 countries involved in Tourism Ireland's Global Greening event.
The world's largest fountain, The Palm Fountain in Dubai; Cairo Tower in Egypt; and Bled Castle in Slovenia are among the newcomers to this year's list.
Closer to home, organisers of the St Patrick's Day Festival here announced that a new light display is set to take place this evening.
Karen Walshe, Artistic Director with St Patrick's Festival, explained to Newstalk Breakfast what people can expect from the event.
"This is the last day in our six-day festival so we're coming to the end today but we've kept the best until last," she said.
"We're curated today shows from 9.30am this morning all the way until half past midnight tonight.
"We have really got the essence of parades and all the festivities across the morning on our shows."
Tumblecircus performed a show at 10am, while President Michael D Higgins addressed the nation shortly after.
In a speech released earlier today, the President said that this year, "we have been reminded of our shared vulnerability, our interdependence, the need for an understanding that can fly past borders".
He added: "In the message we have received from COVID, surely there is the undeniable insight that we must all, and together, exit the fog of not only the pandemic but all of the hubris, the arrogance, the vanities of assuming the right to dominate, to impose, to exclude; strategies of life which have left us such a legacy of lost communality and a planet in danger."
Ms Walshe outlined the preparations which have been made to create a festival spirit virtually today.
Bands which would usually play at parades nationwide have been filmed in areas across the country, and these virtual performances will be shown from 12pm onwards.
There will also be a pageant performance from Swords castle, followed by an afternoon of sean-nós dancing, 'céilí in your cocoon', and performances from traditional Irish groups.
"Then we will have a really special night planned for everybody tonight and this will hopefully make it easier for everyone to stay in as well," Ms Walshe said.
A "fantastic" one-hour show of lighting installations, music performances and comedy will be broadcast from 6.30pm tonight.
The rest of the evening will entail the St Patrick's Day festival 'barróg', which is "the hug we're bringing to the nation" full of traditional performers from 8pm, she added.
500 drones light up Dublin skies in an ‘Orchestra of Light’ ... a spectacular show with a message of hope, wishing people everywhere a Happy #StPatricksDay created by @StPatricksFest @TourismIreland and @DubCityCouncil https://t.co/mAvUgtE87a pic.twitter.com/y3QiGeOFqS
— Tourism Ireland PR (@media_ireland) March 17, 2021
This will be followed by the Orchestra of Light, which was kept under wraps until this morning.
"It's a spectacular drone show that we filmed over the past number of weeks in Dublin," Ms Walshe said.
"It's 500 drones performing a dance, like a beautiful ballet in the sky and Picture This have done the score with Eímear Noone and the RTÉ Orchestra, so you'll have to tune into that."
Pop sensation Soulé will also be performing tonight, which will round off the evening.
You can find more information on the St Patrick's Day Festival and watch the performances and events here.
