Victory this year for Methodist College or Dungannon (depending on who you support) meant celebrations as ever among the well to do school boys of Northern Ireland.

Victory too for the Mayor of Belfast who promoted and took part in the third official Belfast carnival to celebrate St Patrick (for reasons why this is only the third carnival, see history books ad nauseam). To ensure there was no trouble at the parade caused by offensive emblems, the Mayor's team handed out little green flags emblazoned with white shamrocks and confiscated any other flag brought by parade goers. Those in sporting regalia were not welcome, because promotion of Gaelic football, Association football or Rugby football could cause offence.

Victory too for the shopkeepers of the city who no doubt raked in buckets full of cash and retained credit cards in exchange for unneeded clothing and electrical goods. Of special interest this year is the new shopping Mecca at Victoria Square where the brass is untarnished and the pavements unfettered with chewing gum. Here too flags were unwelcome, including those handed out two streets away by inoffensive City Council workers.

Meanwhile, anyone important had left the city for the more prestigious celebrations in America. The parade was bigger and louder in New York than in Belfast. But in fairness, these are more Irishmen in New York than in Belfast.

In Washington, our politicians, including the gormless Jeffrey Donaldson, were making proclamations about how interested Americans were in investing in the newly refurbished Northern Ireland. To bolster credibility for Jeffrey's announcement, shares on Wall Street crashed all day.

Good sense and moderation prevailed all day. As usual.