In Pictures: A surreal St Patrick's Day

17 March 2020

A rather surreal St Patrick's Day has been marked across the island of Ireland.

Handfuls of people walked where thousands usually gather to enjoy parades around the UK and Ireland on 17 March.

The festivities were cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak and those who have ventured out on to the streets often wore scarves and masks with their green St Patrick's hats.

But there have been signs of good humour among the muted celebrations.

This picture probably sums up St Patrick's Day in Belfast

Pacemaker Belfast City Hall — This picture probably sums up St Patrick's Day in Belfast

A bit more colour here... St Patrick plus precautions in Dublin's Temple Bar area

PA Media St Patrick beside two women wearing masks with shamrocks — A bit more colour here... St Patrick plus precautions in Dublin's Temple Bar area

Dublin usually hosts the largest parade attracting an estimated 500,000 people last year but just a few tourists were around this year

Niall Carson/PA Tourists wearing scarves over their mouths near O'Connell Street in Dublin on St Patrick's day — Dublin usually hosts the largest parade attracting an estimated 500,000 people last year but just a few tourists were around this year

This hurler in Dublin was taking no risks

Niall Carson A man wearing a gas mask and carrying a hurling stick in Dublin on St Patrick's day — This hurler in Dublin was taking no risks

A cheery thumbs-up at the Kennedy Centre in Belfast

Reuters A man and child walking past a St Patrick's day sign in the Kennedy Centre in Belfast — A cheery thumbs-up at the Kennedy Centre in Belfast

St Patrick cuts a rather lonesome figure on the streets of Dublin

Niall Carson A man dressed as St Patrick watching a man with a mask walk by in Temple Bar, Dublin — St Patrick cuts a rather lonesome figure on the streets of Dublin

A more traditional picture here - the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol joined Tourism Ireland's annual Global Greening campaign

PA Media The Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol joins Tourism Ireland's Global Greening campaign to mark St Patrick's Day — A more traditional picture here - the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol joined Tourism Ireland's annual Global Greening campaign

The Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow also joined in - the initiative usually involves hundreds of landmarks around the world

PA Media The Kelvingrove Art Gallery Museum in Glasgow joins Tourism Ireland's Global Greening campaign to mark St Patrick's Day — The Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow also joined in - the initiative usually involves hundreds of landmarks around the world