Peaceful Paddy's Day Rocks Belfast

The St Patrick's Day celebrations passed off largely without incident across the border yesterday - with a huge concert success to top it off.

Hours before The Commitments hit the Odyssey stage, even Belfast's Holyland area - home to thousands of students - was relatively peaceful with the PSNI reporting that while eight people were arrested, that was substantially less than had been the case with riots on previous years.

However, four men were stabbed in the Abercorn Square area of Strabane on Thursday night as others celebrating the Saint's day.

Police said a large number of people were involved in a disturbance outside a bar in the area at about 9.30pm.

Two of the men are believed to be in a serious but not life-threatening condition in hospital and police have appealed for information.

The shock attacks spoiled what was a mostly peaceful day elesewhere as instead of trouble, it was carnival time when a parade, left the City Hall at 12 noon.

Themed on 'the environment' and featuring the Samson and Goliath (Shipyard) float, the Belfast Dust Buster and musicians and percussionists playing instruments made from recycled materials.

This was followed by a well-attended Lemar & Stacey Solomon gig - a free concert at Custom House Square from 1-3pm.

Then, there was a special St Patrick's Day Concert at the Waterfront Hall with iconic Irish music band Horslips for a special show.

As other events ended peacefully across NI, the BAFTA-winning and Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated tale of an unlikely group of unemployed Dubliners - The Commitments - came alive on stage at The Odyssey.

Most of the original cast regrouped for a four-date reunion tour of Ireland, which stopped off in Belfast as Andrew Strong, who played lead singer Deco Cuffe in the film, explained that after 20 years, people are still talking about the film.

Fellow Commitments stars, including Bronagh Gallagher - whose own band rocked Belfast's Black Box during The Out to Lunch Festival in March - held the whole show together to perform on almost all the big numbers from the film's soundtrack, while Strong sang to just selected numbers.

This 'version' of The Commitments also starred The Frames' Glen Hansard as guitarist 'Outspan' Foster, who subsequently enjoyed a successful musical and film career.

(BMcC/KMcA)