ST HELENS will be lit up green as more than 1,000 of the borough's residents who were born who were in Ireland will be among those celebrating.

The Steve Prescott Bridge will be lit green on Wednesday, March 17 to mark the occasion.

Areas with significant links to Ireland through their diaspora will mark the impact of Irish influence. Acknowledging the hard work, contribution and integration it has taken to get to where we are today.

The social media hashtag #GlobalGreening links to a plethora of activities, celebrations and news on St Patricks Day from across the world.

Charity Irish in Britain said the celebration, which will take place without much of the usual festivities due to the pandemic, is still an opportunity for everyone to honour the values of kinship and community.

The organisation's analysis of 2011 census data shows there were 659 people in St Helens who were born in the Republic of Ireland – and a further 434 from Northern Ireland.

This means people from the island of Ireland made up around six in every 1,000 residents in the area at the last official count – below the England average of 11.

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Conor McGinn, the Northern Ireland-born MP for St Helens North, said: “I’m really proud of the strong, historic links between Ireland and St Helens, with so many local people having Irish heritage and us having a long story of the Irish contribution to our borough in nursing, construction, industry, culture and sport.

“I’m also keen to promote the modern-day links we have in trade and commerce, with Irish businesses investing here in St Helens and the wider North West and real opportunities for us to grow the relationship through the new Irish Consulate in Manchester.”

Martin Bond, cabinet member for finance and governance and trustee of the Liverpool Irish Festival, added: “Like Conor, I’m proud of our links to Ireland here in St Helens.

“St Patrick’s day has always been a day for communal celebration. That isn’t possible this year and the Global Greening campaign focuses a celebration of Irishness in a different but compelling way.

“With the Liverpool Irish Festival’s coordination, we are joining Knowsley, Liverpool and Wirral with some of our prominent buildings and bridges going emerald. All over the world the Irish diaspora is doing the same.”

Meanwhile, Mike Denning, chairman of the Steve Prescott Foundation, added: “Steve would have been delighted to support the lighting up of the Steve Prescott Bridge to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

"Steve was proud to play for the country of his ancestors and had great memories of his time on international duty and in particular the 2000 World Cup.

"The Irish Community has been a strong part of the St Helens population for many years seeing many immigrants from the Emerald isle settling in the area and contributing to the local economy.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged people to reduce non-essential contact just one day before last year's festival, meaning many events were curtailed or cancelled altogether – with even stricter restrictions in place this year.