EVERY DAY, TheJournal.ie brings you a round-up of all the day’s main news as well as the bits and pieces that you may have missed.

• An upbeat Michael Noonan may have let the spirit of St Patrick’s Day get to him as he exclaimed that the Irish economy could “take off like a rocket”. He made the comments in Paris after ringing the opening bell at the city’s stock exchange.
• TheJournal.ie has learned that a Garda had to be treated in hospital after being attacked and slashed with a sharp object aboard a repatriation flight to Nigeria. More on that story here.
• The #tweetgate controversy rolls on as Sinn Féin denies any involvement in the now infamous tweet that was sent from an account purporting to be the official one for the Martin McGuinness presidential campaign. TheJournal.ie spoke with both the party and the journalist who first broke the news that businessman Hugh Morgan could appear in public.
• A man has died after a serious road crash involving a car and tractor/trailer on the M9 between Danesfort and Knocktopher in Kilkenny. The section of the motorway is still closed and diversions are in place.
• The Garda Representative Association has questioned why Martin McDermott, a man convicted of the manslaughter of a Garda, was serving his seven-year sentence in a low-security facility. The 25-year-old was arrested in Northern Ireland today after absconding from Loughan House in Cavan, just miles from the border, last night.
• A stubbled and impassioned George Clooney was arrested with his father and other protesters outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington DC earlier today.
• Taoiseach Enda Kenny delivered his St Patrick’s Day message today, telling us that being Irish “is a badge of honour”.
• Meanwhile, the deputy leader of Northern Ireland’s largest Unionist party has asked the British government to make St Patrick’s Day a public holiday in the UK.

John Power from Waterford-based Spraoi Arts Group puts the final touches to the group’s float in Dublin ahead of tomorrow’s parade. Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire.

• With just two weeks to go until the payment deadline day, more than 250,000 properties have been registered by their owners for the €100 Household Charge.
• IKEA France has been accused of hiring detectives to spy on customers who have made complaints about the quality of their products.
• Scent of a Pope? Yes, Benedict XVI is getting his own fragrance and it will have notes of grass, verbana and lime tree. Mmmm…
• Friday’s are all about cute animals at TheJournal.ie HQ (see main article image) but we decided to take a momentary break from cuddly slideshows given the weekend that’s in it. In its place? A slideshow of leprechauns from around the world, of course. Enjoy!
• And, also, here’s some excellent pictures of a flock of green sheep.
• We thought we’d take this opportunity to tell all our readers that despite our underdog tag – and our slow start – TheJournal.ie news team beat the lads of TheScore.ie in the nail-bitingly close office Cheltenham sweepstake. Pints are on @adrianrussell
• We know what you’re thinking on the eve of the day of St. Patrick: What would all these festivities be without a video mixing Irish stew with the House of Pain? McStupendous has you sorted:

Hat tip to @RubberBandits for spotting this one

• And finally, Happy St Patrick’s Day/Paddy’s Day/not Patty’s Day.