We’re going green for St Patrick’s Day
SLIGO is set to go green next month as part of ambitious plans for vir- tual St Patrick's Day celebrations.
A large umber of buildings throughout the town are to be lit up in green lights for the entire month of March as part of the ‘Destination Greening’ initiative, providing content which it is hoped will market Sligo to national and international audiences. By the start of March, the aim is to have 30 buildings illuminated in the colour most synonymous with Ireland.
Fáilte Ireland has come on board with funding of €25,000 to support work such as this as well as website development, development planning into the future and establishing international connections to build networks.
The funding was secured following a joint collaboration between Sligo County Council, Sligo BID and Sligo St Patrick’s Day committee.
The virtual celebrations will also include streamed events online between March 14 and March 17, comprising music, song and poetry and will be capped off by a virtual parade to be streamed at 12 noon on St Patrick’s Day (which falls on a Wednesday this year). Chairperson of the St Patrick’s Day committee, Finbarr Filan, said: “the opportunity was grasped enthusiastically by the committee and working with new partners such as Irish Rail and the OPW has been a great dimension to the project.”
Gail McGibbon, CEO of Sligo BID, acknowledged “the unbelievable co-operation experienced in dealing with all businesses around the city with excitement growing for a St Patrick’s celebration to beat all others”.
Representing the council as funding applicant, Margaret McConnell, community and economic development section, said: “The council is always ready for meaningful opportunities to work with the community and business sectors. This project has provided the perfect example as well as aligning with the ambitions of the new Sligo brand to build Sligo as a world-class place to live, invest and visit, in a safe manner for the time being.”
Sligo is one of six locations chosen nationally to host virtual St Patrick’s Day celebrations which will be broacast to a worldwide audience online. Sligo is also the only county in the north-west to be designated one of these places.