WHILE ST PATRICK’S Day is often billed as an opportunity for drink and debauchery around the world, the Government is hoping to make it more about celebrating Irish culture and creativity this year.
Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan today announced an international programme of arts events for the festival period which aims to “enhance the overall impact of the season worldwide”.
Events will be staged across the globe with a special focus on key cities such as Beijing, Moscow, London, New York and Paris.
Promoting the idea, Deenihan said, “St Patrick’s Day is the ideal time to celebrate and share with the world the evolving imagination, intelligence and innovation of Irish creative talent.”
Deenihan will travel to New Orleans and Atlanta in the US for a series of engagements, including the opening of the American Conference for Irish Studies and a reception at the Irish Consulate of Atlanta.
Meanwhile, outdoor performance company Macnas will travel to Russia to parade through the streets of Moscow. The city’s fifth annual Irish Film Festival will also run concurrent with the St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
In Beijing and Shanghai, faculty members of the Royal Irish Academy of Music will perform a series of chamber music concerts for Chinese audiences. Young traditional music group Ciorras will also play a number of gigs in the capital, while collaborative Irish/Chinese multi-media art exhibitions will be held in both cities.
The Irish Cultural Centre in Paris will host film, literature, visual arts and music events.
In New York, the Irish Arts Centre has organised a number of events and a special concert is being held at the American Irish Historical Society on Fifth Avenue. The evening of literature, history and music will feature Edel Bhreathnach, Moya Brennan and Cormac de Barra.
Closer to home in London, a full contemporary parade will be performed by Irish street theatre and spectacle specialists Bui Bolg and Artastic. Trafalgar Square will also host Gemma Hayes and The High Kings during an evening showcase of Irish traditional and popular music.
Culture Ireland is also supporting significant artistic events across Australia and New Zealand. The organisation is working closely with other Government agencies to maximise the cross-promotional opportunities.
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