Pull out your green hats, clothes, flags, face paint or anything else green! That’s right, the Saint Patrick’s Festival 2008 is kicking off in Dublin from Thursday 13th March to Monday 17th March. Check out our guide to the main events, the parades, the fireworks, the music, the dance - everything that’s taking place during what is without doubt Ireland’s biggest party time of the year! And if you’re visiting Dublin we’ve even sussed out the top hotels in the city.

The Saint Patrick’s Festival is the annual celebration of our patron saint, Saint Patrick, in Ireland’s capital. The 17th of March is celebrated throughout the world with family and friends and all things green. In Dublin the celebrations go on for 5 days and 5 nights so you can be sure of a real party atmosphere. The festivities include music, street theatre, family carnivals, comedy, street performances, dance, a treasure hunt and a nighttime spectacle which will illuminate the sky for you to party under.

The celebrations start on Thursday 13th and lead up to the main event, on Monday March 17th, with the world famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Over the week of merriment there are over 4000 performers with over a million people expected to visit the capital. Many of the Dublin’s museums, pubs, clubs and other cultural centres will be holding special events over the course of the celebrations such as the National Concert Hall and its Ceilí House Live in Concert.

And if you’re looking for accommodation there are plenty of Dublin hotels in the city centre so you can party into the wee hours of the morning.

There’s no shortage of hotels on O’Connell Street, Dublin’s main thoroughfare. Firstly there’s the 4-Star Gresham Hotel, one of the city’s best known hotels. Also on this street you’ll find the 3-Star Cassidys Hotel, the 3-Star Royal Dublin Hotel and Lynams Hotel, which is unrated.

Nearby 2-Star hotels include the Abbey Hotel on Middle Abbey Street and the River House Hotel on Eustace Street in Temple Bar. Also located in Temple Bar is the 3-Star Paramount Hotel on Parliament Street while other 3-Star hotels located conveniently to the city centre include the Arlington Hotel on Bachelors Walk and the Jurys Inn Parnell Street. And if you want to make it a really special break you can try the 5-Star Westin Dublin on Westmoreland Street.

Wherever you stay in Dublin for the Saint Patrick’s Festival 2008 make sure you take advantage of the party atmosphere. And if you need any help booking one of our Dublin hotels just drop us a line in the message box below.