St Patrick’s Day festivities set to be beamed live to homes across the globe
WITH the traditional St Patrick’s Day festivities once again falling foul of the Covid-19 pandemic, people have been invited to immerse themselves in an online cerebration of all that it means to be Irish.
The St Patrick’s Day Festival has announced details of an historic partnership with Oireachtas TV that will bring an exciting array of cultural events directly into more than 1.1 Irish million homes and many more across the world over six magical days commencing from Friday, March 12.
More than 100 different events will be screened day and night across the duration of the festival on St. Patrick’s Festival TV (SPF TV), a dedicated online TV channel at stpatricksfestival. ie, the Oireachtas TV channel and streamed simultaneously on rte. ie/culture.
Organisers have promised the festival will be a “positive and uplifting celebration of our incredible people, our beautiful island, our community bonds, our young people, artists, creators and makers and our diaspora across the globe”.
The exciting festival programme will include a virtual St Patrick’s Day Parade; musical performances by acts including Pillow Queens, Gemma Dunleavy, Mary Coughlan and the Shandrum Céilí Band; comedy with Foil, Arms & Hog and Michael Fry; poetry readings; art & crafts workshops; virtual historical walking tours , film screenings and a plethora of other cultural events.
Festival marketing and communications coordinator Aileen Galvin said their aim was to “bring joy and hope to all our people through music, song and story.”
“The arts are a beacon of light for us all in these challenging times. We will showcase the real Ireland, our Ireland, our dynamic contemporary culture and our proud ancient traditions, bringing all our people together no matter where they are in the world,” said Me Galvin.
“We’d be grateful now if people could help spread the word and tell family and friends, especially those who may be isolated or without digital connection, that they have six days and nights of events to look forward to from March 12 to 17 - all from the comfort of their couches and the dance floors of their kitchens,” she added.