Update 7.15pm: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has walked in New York's St Patrick's Day parade which up until recently had banned LGBT groups from marching. Mr Varadkar said it was a real privilege to be able to march with his partner Matt Barrett in the parade. Up until recently, LGBT groups were not allowed to march in the annual New York parade on Fifth Avenue. Mr Varadkar said being in NYC on St Patrick's Day had given him a sense of how strong the Irish community is in the city and how proud people are of their Irish connections. St Patrick's Day is the fourth and final stop on the Taoiseach's week-long visit to the US to promote Ireland.

Source: Evening echo March 17, 2018 15:11 UTC