Edinburgh St Patrick's Day: Dropkick Murphys staff shocked as revellers camp out to try and beat the queues

'That's dedication to be fair'

Staff at a popular Irish bar in Edinburgh were shocked to discover that St Patrick's Day revellers had camped outside the door in an attempt to beat the queues.

Two pop up tents decorated in St Patrick's Day bunting were discovered by cleaners as they arrived for their shift at the Merchant Street pub on Sunday morning.

A staff member told the Evening News that the pair had been found by the cleaners but had left to have a shower and have food before beginning their celebrations.

The pair were discovered in their tents by cleaners who arrived for their shift at Dropkick Murphys in Edinburgh.

"The cleaners arrived today and there were people in the queue with tents out, ready to go," she said. "They'd been having a few pre-drinks to get ready and a few coffees and they said they just didn't want to get stuck and wanted to be out all day and wanted to make sure they got in so dedication to be fair.

"They're first in so they're guaranteed entry at least, but bizarre that people will actually sleep out in the cold all night to come in for Paddy's Day."

The pub's manager added: "I'd have let them kip at the house if I had known that they were that keen. I went and got them a cup of tea and some sausages. Please don't be at this craic lads."

The queues outside Dropkick Murphys in Edinburgh's Merchant Street started getting bigger later in the day.

Dropkick Murphys uploaded pictures of the tents and the pair who slept in them, one of whom was wearing satin green pyjamas and a Guinness hat, to their social media, along with the caption: "What greeted our cleaners this morning... Please do not camp overnight outside Dropkicks, just to be the first in on St Patrick's Day!

"Also there was no one else in the queue... Happy St Patrick's Day to everyone including these campers/total rockets."