Revellers get 'jiggy with it' in aid of charity

As part of its legendary St Patrick's Day celebrations, O'Neill's Irish pub group provided free Irish dancing lessons across the UK.

Join The Jig, which was run in conjunction with local charities in each location, saw troupes of Irish dancers and musicians take to the streets in Liverpool, Cardiff, Birmingham and Glasgow.

Each troupe appeared at a variety of locations around the city centre between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., providing members of the public with the chance to learn and perform an Irish dance. In return, participants - and onlookers - were invited to make a donation to the collectors from the local charity, which joined the troupe on the day.

Irish bands and musicians that took part in the campaign included Ray Dunne, Mulligan & Mulligan and William Patterson and Irish Associations such as The George Ferguson School of Irish Dancing, Doherty School of Dance and the World Irish Dancing Championships were also involved. Charities included Cash For Kids (Liverpool), CHAS (Children's Hospice Association Scotland, Glasgow), Acorns (Birmingham) and LATCH (Cardiff).

"It was fantastic to see people of all ages laughing and joining in with an Irish jig on an otherwise ordinary Monday," says Eamonn Lavin, manager of O'Neill's, Liverpool who took part in the city's Join The Jig activity. "What better way to raise money, and get everyone in the mood for St Patrick's Day."

The Join the Jig campaign was just one of several fundraising activities occurring across the 62 O'Neill's locations on and before St Patrick's Day which is celebrated today.

Facts and figures

• O'Neill's has 62 Irish pubs across the UK.

• Today there will be more than 80 live music events at O'Neill's locations across the UK.

• O'Neill's expects to pour more than 80,000 pints of Guinness today.

• Last year 2.4 million pints of Guinness were poured in O'Neill's pubs.

• Last year 11,880 Steak & Guinness Pies were sold in O'Neill's pubs.

• Last year 38,067 Guinness Battered Fish & Chips were sold at O'Neill's.