NEED TO CATCH up? TheJournal brings you a round up of today’s top stories.

IRELAND

Large crowds of people dressed in Green take part in the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin as part of the festival. Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• St Patrick’s Day celebrations took place in towns and cities across the country this afternoon, with an estimated 500,000 people gathered in Dublin to watch the parade. 
• Children and Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman denied that homeless asylum seekers who had been staying in tents in Dublin City Centre were moved to south county Dublin as a result of the St Patrick’s Day parade. 
• The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is appealing for witnesses following a fatal hit-and-run incident in Co Louth.
• The death occurred of the long-serving former Labour Party TD Emmet Stagg, at the age of 79, after a long illness.
• Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he does not consider himself to be woke as he rejected an assertion that the Government’s recent defeats in the referendums on family and care were due to a rejection of “woke” issues.
• The Taoiseach also said an investigation is needed into allegations that a polling station clerk attempted to deny a black Irish person a vote in last week’s referendums.

WORLD

 #GAZA: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to send ground forces into Gaza’s southern Rafah city, despite growing international concern over the fate of Palestinian civilians sheltering there.

#ICELAND: A state of emergency was declared in Iceland following a volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, the fourth eruption to hit the area since December.

#RUSSIA: Vladimir Putin was expected to be re-elected as leader as Russians went the polls in elections that have been widely criticised as being unfair.. However, protests and Ukrainian strikes have marred his victory somewhat. 

PARTING SHOT

The death was announced of Steve Harley was announced today. He was 73. The frontman of Cockney Rebel had a long and varied career, but will likely be primarily remembered for this classic hit: