Get Ready for St Patrick’s Festival Week, 2011

Saint Patrick's Festival launch (St. Patrick�s Festival and Failte Ireland.)

DUBLIN—During the week-long festival of St Patrick, the day itself will begin with the 60 year old tradition of the colours rowing race between Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin, starting at O'Connell Bridge and ending at the Guinness Brewery.

The St Patrick’s Day festival organisers have this year launched an initiative called ‘The Greening of the City’, asking all the businesses and venues to turn their lights green for the occasion.

The festival’s CEO, Susan Kirby, said, “last year, St Patrick’s week generated 50.5 million euro in spending by tourists and Dubliners, and it’s one of the most important events of the year for businesses.”

Siobhan Pierce, Education Officer at the National Museum on Kildare St said, “On the 17th there will be a 40 minute talk in the museum on the writings of St Patrick, and a tour of all the bronze-age artefacts.”

‘Walking in the footsteps of St Patrick’ tours will illuminate more of the life of St Patrick and his connections with Dublin. The tour includes a visit to St Patrick’s Park and St Patrick’s Cathedral, where it is said Patrick baptised some off the first Irish Christian converts.

Philip Ryder from the Guinness Brewery said that during the festival week, anyone whose name is Patrick or Patricia or any foreign variation of the name will be welcomed into the Guinness hop store for free.

“On offer will be free food, free pints, tours and live music - just be sure to bring ID!”

Spokesperson for the festival, Denise Cunniffe, explained that the theme for the parade this year is ‘Brilliant’ taken from the short story written by Roddy Doyle especially for the event, which illustrates in a child-like way the triumph of the human spirit over adversity.

Ms Cunniffe said that chapter one, enacted by the pageant group ‘Brighter future’ which is comprised of primary and secondary school students from around the city, will lead the parade.

Tom O’Rahilly from the Leprechaun museum said they were extending their opening hours during festival week. “This museum is about banshees, leprechauns, and myths and legends and there are plenty of them! Ireland has the largest collection of folklore history after Finland, but it’s also about the ancient and old Irish and how they used to live their lives.”

Throughout the city there will be funfairs and street performances, and world boxing champion Katie Taylor, who has been appointed Grand Marshall of this year’s parade, said, “It’s a great honour and I look forward to being involved on the day.”

The final chapter of ‘Brilliant’ will be enacted at the end of the parade by City Fusion, the pageant group which celebrates cultural diversity.