I’m incredibly proud of Manchester’s historic links with the island of Ireland. It was great to be able to join friends and councillors at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Manchester which set off from the World Irish Heritage Centre. There was a wonderful atmosphere and it was great to see it return after two years of lockdown.

Manchester plays host to an annual community organised city-wide Irish Festival, which this year was extended to a ‘Manchester Irish Weekender’ so that celebrations could continue throughout the weekend. The event was been funded through the European Regional Development Fund and their Welcome Back Fund which has provided councils across the country with a share of £56 million to support the safe return to high streets and help build back better from the pandemic.

Down in London I joined the Ambassador of Ireland, Adrian O’Neill, for the annual St Patrick’s Day Reception in Parliament. It’s always great to celebrate British-Irish relations and the contributions of the Irish community here in the UK.

To everyone celebrating – Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit!