Liverpool among best cities to celebrate St Patrick's Day

St Patrick’s Day is almost here, and people across the globe are preparing to come together to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland.

If you’re thinking about where to head for this year’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations, you’ve probably got Dublin or Galway in mind. But, with a history of Irish immigration and density of student populations, the UK has plenty of cities perfect for a pint of Guinness or Murphy's on March 17 - and they're not just in Northern Ireland.

Popular Irish-themed pub, O’Neill’s has revealed the six best cities in Britain to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in 2024, and it is no surprise that Liverpool has made the list with it's deep links to Ireland.

The rankings are based on a number of factors, including the density of the Irish population in the cities, the number of students, the cities hosting a Paddy's Day parade and the cities which are home to an O'Neill's pub.

Here are the best places to paint the town green...

Best places to celebrate St Patrick's Day

1. London

With over 50,000 expected to attend the St Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival in London this year, the capital is top of O’Neill’s’ list for where to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. In addition to tourists and locals flocking to the celebrations, London has the largest proportion of Irish residents in the UK - meaning there will also be plenty of Irish natives joining in on the celebrations in the capital.

2. Liverpool

Liverpool was once regarded as the second capital of Ireland, with three-quarters of its population said to have Irish roots dating back to the Irish Famine. As a result, Liverpool goes green every year and 2024 is no different - with pre and post St Patrick’s Day activities planned as well as the main parade itself, the route of which is ending on Hanover Street.

As well as its strong Irish community, Liverpool has a large population of students who will be looking for a place to party on St Patrick’s Day weekend. Plus, the University of Liverpool has both an Irish society and Gaelic football teams, and there are tons of fantastic pubs dotted around the city - including one where you can put your selfie on a pint.

3. Birmingham

Birmingham was once crowned the most Irish city in the UK with a large proportion of its population identifying as Irish. This year, its St Patrick’s Day parade will return for the first time in four years. The parade was known for attracting huge crowds of up to 80,000 people and was also recognised as 'the third biggest St Patrick's Parade' in the world.

4. Manchester

Surprisingly, Manchester was second on the list for the most-searched-for destinations amongst Brits for St Patrick’s Day. Manchester is home to nearly 40,000 students and is recognised as one of the most budget-friendly cities in the UK. The city is generally well known as a “good night out” thanks to its thriving pub and club scene and this year Manchester is hosting a parade among other events to mark St Patrick’s Day, paying homage to its history with the Irish diaspora.

5. Nottingham

Despite having a much smaller Irish community than other cities in the UK, Nottingham is home to 43,000 students and is known for putting on a good party. This year the city plans to double-up on the celebrations by hosting the St Patrick’s Day Festival across Saturday March 16 and Sunday March 17.

What’s more, both Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham have Irish societies or Gaelic sports teams, who are regular visitors to O’Neill’s Market Square. With the celebrations expected to be bigger than last year, there will no doubt be a strong student presence at this year’s festivities — particularly with a brilliant line-up of live music artists and DJs throughout the weekend.

6. Glasgow

Last but not least is Glasgow — the third largest city in the UK. Thanks to its universities, Glasgow is home to approximately 185,000 students and is well known for its bustling party scene.

Glasgow also has a long history with its Irish neighbours, welcoming thousands of immigrants back in the 1800s which has helped shape much of the city’s past, including the famous Celtic football team. As a result, Glasgow hosts thousands of visitors for St Patrick’s Day each year and 2024 is expected to be one of the biggest yet.