Landmarks Go Green For St Patrick's Day

Some of Scotland's biggest attractions are among more than 100 international landmarks turning green to mark St Patrick's Day.

Glasgow's SSE Hydro and Armadillo venues are being bathed in green light to mark Ireland's national day.

Edinburgh Airport and the capital's iconic castle are also joining in with the brightly-coloured celebrations for the first time today.

The move was confirmed by Tourism Ireland, which praised the "impressive'' line-up of landmarks taking part in the fun.

Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said: "The eagerness to take part in St Patrick's Day underlines the strength of the deep spiritual connection that people everywhere feel to Ireland.

"More than 70 million people around the world claim links to the island of Ireland and St Patrick's Day is a truly unique opportunity to reconnect them with their heritage.''

The Shard, Nelson's Column, the London Eye and the Town Hall clock in Manchester complete the UK list of landmarks going green.

Overseas, the Colosseum in Rome, Sacre-Coeur Basilica in Paris and the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville are taking part in the "global greening'' for the first time.

Irish actor Liam Neeson, who features in a new campaign for the tourism body, said: "It will be wonderful to see the world turn green again on the 17th March as nations come together to celebrate the fun and warmth of the Irish.''