Lord Of The Dance star Michael Flatley has been handed the honour of serving as Grand Marshal of the upcoming St. Patrick's Day parade in Cork, Ireland.

The Irish-American will reign over the festivities for the 2014 celebrations and he admits the role is a dream come true.

He says, "I am truly honoured to be chosen as Grand Marshal of the Cork St. Patrick's Day Parade, a county my family and I now call home.

"The parade is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Irish culture and I'm looking forward to meeting musicians, Irish dancers and artistic groups from all over Cork and Ireland.

"I am really proud of Cork, it's a thriving city with so much to offer residents and tourists alike."