http___www.stpatricksfestival.ie_GA_2.xml
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Shift Into Gear at the St. Patrick’s Festival Céilí Rev up for a great time on Monday, March 16th Dancing Superstar Dearbhla Lennon, céilí dancers and Festival Parade characters made a pit-stop in Parnell Square, Dublin this morning en route to the St. Patrick’s Festival Céilí. Travelling in their Volkswagen Golf, the Official Car Partner of the 2015 Festival, the group pulled over at the Hugh Lane Gallery to check directions to the Festival Céilí which will take place in St. Stephen’s Green from 16:30 on Monday afternoon, March 16th. The Festival Céilí invites everyone from beginners to experts to come down and join in the fun at this outdoor celebration of traditional Irish music and dance. The event is free of charge and will see dancing superstar Dearbhla Lennon joined by a host of professional dancers and instructors sure to help you get into the Festival spirit on Monday afternoon. Susan Kirby, CEO of St. Patrick’s Festival commented; “The Festival Céilí is always one of the most popular events in the programme and a unique way for both locals and visitors alike to experience the best in Irish music and dancing. I am delighted that Volkswagen Ireland is on board as the Official Car Partner of this year’s Festival and it is great to see our Festival Céilí MC, Dearbhla Lennon, dancers and characters arrive in such style. The Festival Céilí is great fun and suitable for those young and old so I encourage everyone to come down and be part of the celebrations on Monday, 16th March.” Renowned céilí caller Jerry O’Reilly will lead céilí-goers through the classics which will be demonstrated by the Brooks Academy dancers, accompanied by the Matt Cunningham Band and a host of award-winning musicians. Paul O’Sullivan, Head of Marketing at Volkswagen Passenger Cars commented; “We are very excited to see the Volkswagen Golf line up as part of the St. Patrick’s Festival Parade this year. The Volkswagen Golf continues to be one of the most popular cars in Ireland and is a great example of the long heritage Volkswagen has in Ireland” Speaking about the event, MC Dearbhla Lennon said; “For me, the Festival Céilí is one of the highlights of the Festival programme. The dances are great fun to learn with friends and family, and suitable for all abilities so come join us, we promise you’ll have the craic!” Another highlight of the St. Patrick’s Festival 2015 programme is the Festival’s cultural programme, I Love My City. Curated by St. Patrick’s Festival, the series of evocative and intimate cultural events and happenings, featuring both established and emerging artists, from a variety of disciplines including literature, music, film, spoken-word, photography, design, visual art and more will be presented over the 4 days of the Festival, 14th – 17th March. The events are either FREE ticketed or PAID ticketed and those wishing to register or buy tickets for all events should visit www.stpatricksfestival.ie The Festival Céilí is free of charge and will take place at St. Stephen’s Green on Monday, March 16th from 4.30pm -7.30pm. St. Patrick’s Festival will take place from 14th – 17th March. Please do link with the Festival; like our page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram and use the hashtag #StPatricksFest. You can tweet the Festival @stpatricksfest. ENDS For further information, please contact: Maria McGrath, FleishmanHillard, on +353861653055 or maria.mcgrath@fleishmaneurope.com Elle Caffrey, FleishmanHillard, on +353872447146 or elle.caffrey@fleishmaneurope.com Notes for the Editor: St. Patrick’s Festival is funded by Fáilte Ireland and Dublin City Council. The principal aim of St. Patrick’s Festival, since its inauguration, is to develop a major annual international festival around the national holiday over which the Irish people would stand proud. It sets out to reflect the talents and achievements of Irish people on many national and world stages, and it acts as an exciting showcase for the manifold skills of the people of Ireland, of every age and social background. As the one national holiday that is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other, St. Patrick’s Day is the day when everyone wants to be Irish. Why was it started? • To offer a national festival that ranks as one of the greatest celebrations in the world • To create energy and excitement throughout Ireland via innovation, creativity and grassroots involvement, and marketing activity • To provide the opportunity and motivation for people of Irish descent (and those who sometimes wish they were Irish) to attend and join in the imaginative and expressive celebrations • To project, internationally, an accurate image of Ireland as a creative, professional and sophisticated country with wide appeal. The first St Patrick’s Festival was held over one day, and night, on March 17th 1996. The live audience for the day was estimated to be 430,000. Preparation for the first St. Patrick’s Festival used to take only 5 months, but with the growth of the Festival, it now takes 18 months to plan for Ireland’s biggest annual celebration. The 2013 St. Patrick’s Festival added over €122 million to the economy in spending by tourists and Dubliners attending the programme of events.
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Is é príomhaidhm Fhéile Naomh Pádraig, ó cuireadh tús leis an bhféile, chun féile mhór bhliantúil idirnáisiúnta a fhorbairt timpeall ar saoire náisiúnta a mbeadh ‘úinéirí’ na féile, muintir na hÉireann, bródúil aisti. Is é cuspóir na féile tallann agus éachtaí muintir na hÉireann a léiriú ar iliomad stáitsí náisiúnta agus domhanda, agus gníomhaíonn sí mar thaispeántas spreagúil de scileanna na ndaoine – daoine de gach aois agus de gach cúlra sóisialta in Éirinn. Ós rud é gurb í an saoire náisiúnta a cheiliúrtar i níos mó tíortha timpeall an domhain ná aon fhéile eile, is é Lá Fhéile Pádraig an lá inar mhian le gach duine bheith ina Éireannach. Thugamar aghaidh ar an deis sin a thapú, agus aireachtáil náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta i dtaobh Lá Fhéile Pádraig i mBaile Átha Cliath a chlaochlú go hiomlán. Tá an tír seo beo beathach leis an saghas sin d’fhuinneamh cruthaitheach, de smaointe agus de dhíocas a theastaíonn chun an beart a dhéanamh. Ba í ár sprioc na nithe thuas a shaothrú, ionas go mbeadh cuimhne mhaith ag cách ar ár saoire náisiúnta. CÉN FÁTH AR CUIREADH TÚS LEIS AN BHFÉILE? - Chun féile náisiúnta a chur ar fáil a bheadh ar ceann de na ceiliúrtha is fearr ar domhan. - Chun fuinneamh agus brí a chruthú ar fud na hÉireann trí nuálaíocht, cruthaitheacht, rannpháirtíocht na cosmhuintire, agus gníomhaíocht mhargaíochta. - An deis agus an spreagadh a sholáthar do dhaoine de shliocht na hÉireann (agus iad siúd ar mhian leo gurbh Éireannaigh iad amanna) chun freastal ar an bhféile agus chun páirt a ghlacadh sa cheiliúradh samhlaíoch agus eispriseach. - Íomhá ghéar d’Éirinn mar thír chruthaitheach, ghairmiúil agus shofaisticiúil a mheallann réimse fairsing daoine a scaipeadh go hidirnáisiúnta. Bhí an chéad Fhéile Pádraig Naofa ar siúl i gcaitheamh lá agus oíche amháin, an 17 Márta 1996, agus tá borradh tagtha ar an bhféile idir an dá linn agus ceiliúrtar an fhéile anois ar feadh 4-5 lá. DÁTAÍ NA FÉILE AMACH ANSEO: 2017: Déardaoin an 16 – Dé Domhnaigh an 19 Márta 2018: Dé hAoine an 16 – Dé Luain an 19 Márta 2019: Dé hAoine an 15 – Dé Luain an 18 Márta 2020: Dé Sathairn an 14 – Dé Máirt an 17 Márta Bíonn Lá Fhéile Pádraig i gcónaí ar siúl ar an 17 Márta.