A virtual trip to Dublin for St Patrick’s Day
ST Patrick’s Day normally sees Newcastle turn into a sea of green, with a wave of leprechaun hats bobbing down the Bigg Market as crowds turn out to find the best deals on Guinness.
The traditional March 17 celebration normally marks a big day for the city boozers while in recent years a Paddy Fest in Times Square has taken the party atmosphere up several notches more.
But with pubs closed during lockdown and big gatherings out of the question, many of those who have made a tradition of a St Patrick’s Day outing will be left feeling a bit flat this year.
In an effort to bring back some of the usual buzz, cultural event company Embassy Experiences is inviting people to take a virtual trip to Ireland and enjoy some live music.
Online guides will be hosting a late-evening visit to Dublin which will include a virtual tour of the vibrant capital city where spectators can learn about the history of the St Patrick’s Day holiday and its local celebrations.
They will tour Dublin highlights such as its famous Temple Bar district; Trinity College; the Book of Kells and, of course, St Patrick’s Cathedral. And at the end of the visit they will get to listen to a live performance from an Irish band who will perform traditional Irish and holiday favourites.
Tickets for the jaunt cost the equivalent of around 15 Euros and those who register will be emailed all the necessary Zoom links to attend the tour 30 minutes before its 11pm start. The event will run until about 12.30am.
In addition, Tyneside Irish Centre in Newcastle, which normally hosts a day of events, will instead be sharing a link on its Facebook page this year to a virtual Patrick’s Day Mass which will take place at 10.30am on Zoom.