Laura Taouchanov (in Dublin), edited by Gauthier Delomez 8:09 p.m., March 17, 2022

The most famous Irish holiday, St. Patrick's Day, was back on Thursday after two years of cancellation due to the health crisis.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors took part in the grand parade in Dublin, the country's capital.

Europe 1 met participants delighted to celebrate this traditional meeting again.

Under a background sound, a huge canopy of green hats covers the streets of Dublin.

Organizers have promised a historic St. Patrick's Day parade this Thursday, March 17.

A promise kept for Lisa, the Irish hat painted on her cheeks.

"We're all together! We're having fun, we're singing. With a bit of luck, I'll be able to entrust my children soon and go have a drink. It's great to see the city crowded again", launches the young woman Irish, enthusiastic, at the microphone of Europe 1.

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"It's good to get back to normality"

With hundreds of thousands of visitors, the party is in full swing in the capital of Ireland, especially since it is the first Saint Patrick's Day in more than two years and the start of the health crisis linked to the Covid-19.

This holiday also marks the return of tourists, mostly Americans, like Christie, who came expressly from Florida.

"We have Irish ancestors, that's why we come now," she explains.

"I was in Ireland two years ago, just before the Covid shut down everything. And now I'm back with friends to have fun. It's a great time to be there", insists the American.

The theme of this year's parade is connection.

Everything that Orla has missed, marked by the cancellation of the party for the past two years.

"We were all scared. We forgot how to socialize. It feels good to regain normality", she admits on Europe 1. This great return of Saint Patrick's Day is a bit special this year.

There is no work tomorrow.

The Irish benefit from an additional public holiday in tribute to the dead of the Covid.