World gives Ireland the green light
Niagara Falls, the TV tower in Berlin’s Alexanderplatz, the London Eye, and Table Mountain in South Africa are among some of the well-known sites that will be lit up on Mar 17.
Tourism Ireland said the celebrations were part of a promotional drive to grow overseas tourism.
Niall Gibbons, the body’s chief executive, said more than 70m people claimed links with the island of Ireland.
“St Patrick’s Day is a truly unique opportunity to reconnect them with their heritage and to showcase our wonderful tourism offering to a huge global audience,” he said.
“People across the world instantly identify St Patrick’s Day with Ireland and that heightened profile allows us to put the Ireland holiday experience in the spotlight — from London to Sydney and Stockholm to New York.”
The Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand, will be the first building to turn green at midnight, followed by the iconic Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai, and the Empire State Building and White House fountain in the US.
An advert for Ireland will be shown at Times Square, which could be seen by up to 1.5m New Yorkers.
Tourism Minister Leo Varadkar said St Patrick’s Day provided a unique shop window for Ireland around the world, for Irish tourism and for trade and investment.
A four-day festival will also be staged in Dublin, featuring an outdoor céilí, traditional music, and a St Patrick’s Day parade through the capital.
The annual Harbour2Harbour Walk in aid of mental health charity Aware will also be held on the day.
Last year, more than 700 walkers turned out for the 25km-route around Dublin Bay, between Dun Laoghaire and Howth.
In Cork, planning is under way for a three-day festival from Mar 17-19, featuring an array of free events.
* corkstpatricksfestival.ie
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