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MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, the National Theatre in London and the Smurf Statue in Brussels will all go green this year for the first time to mark St Patrick’s Day.
Tourism Ireland today announced the sites around the world that will go green to mark St Patrick’s Day this year as part of the 10th anniversary of the ‘Global Greening’ initiative.
The project, now an annual event, started at the Sydney Opera House in 2010.
It was now expanded significantly – last year, 470 famous sites around the world went green.
This year, 500 are expected to be lit up green in less than a month’s time.
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “The success of our Global Greening initiative is due in no small part to the great work that has been carried out across the world by Irish people and the diaspora.”
“The eagerness of cities and countries everywhere to take part underlines the strength of the deep connection that people all over the world feel to Ireland. More than 70 million people around the world claim links to the island of Ireland and St Patrick’s Day is a truly unique opportunity to reconnect them with their heritage,” he added.
New additions include the Giant Beaver Sculpture in Beaverlodge, Canada – the largest beaver sculpture in the world – and the National Museum of Qatar.
“We’ll take them all by the way, all this generates really good PR for us,” Gibbons said at the launch today.
Also in Canada, Vancouver Island’s Hockey Stick and Puck monument – the largest in the world – will also turn green for the first time, while alongside Madison Square Garden the Eiffel Tower replica in Las Vegas will also shine green for the first time this year.
Closer to home, tourists to Amsterdam might be familiar with the giant statue of a kissing couple – it’ll also be turning green this year.
“Over the St Patrick’s Day period, Ireland has a unique opportunity to renew the strong bonds with the international Irish community and our global partners,” Minister for Tourism and Sport Brendan Griffin said today.
In London, the National Theatre will be turning green for the first time, while in Bristol the 412-metre long Clifton Suspension Bridge will also be lit up.
Last year, Gibbons said that there had been a tongue-in-cheek request for Buckingham Palace to be turned green but it was declined.
Anyone hoping to see Buckingham Palace lit up this year will be sorely disappointed. One consolation is that Caerphilly Castle in Wales will instead turn green.
Tourism Ireland has expressed concern about the impact of Brexit on the number of visitors to Ireland.
Last year was a difficult year for the sector, with visitor numbers to Ireland remaining largely flat.
The event, Gibbons said, “generates much more awareness for our teams than we would otherwise have around the world”.
In Estonia, the famous Skywheel of Tallinn will also be lit up – a first for the attraction.
Keep an eye out for the monuments and buildings on 17 March, as they join more established landmarks – such as the London Eye and Niagara Falls – in turning green to celebrate St Patrick.
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So there’s going to be a huge green beaver in America :) :)
@Declan Moran: your mother will feel right at home.
@Declan Moran: Canada actually
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: (North) America
@Rochey77: take a hike you tosser
@Rochey77: hahahaha, just the comment I came here to read.
Its a wonderful opportunity to promote Ireland and we do a great job of it. It promotes Tourism ,Foreign investment ,and all things Irish including our corporation tax.
Really? I think perhaps the only people to be excited by this will be the Irish, and evening then that’s not a given. The colour Green has taken on a new connotation in the world today. I wonder how many people in theses countries will mistake the green transformations as something to do with climate change.
@Deborah Blacoe: *even*
@Deborah Blacoe: Hardly. Have you ever been abroad for St Patrick’s day? It’s a bigger party than here, in a lot of places
@HectorPickaxe: yes I have. I walked in parades abroad. Everyone loves a parade so to speak. But it is the Irish expats and those of Irish descent who are really interested. For everyone else it is a mildly amusing event.
@Deborah Blacoe: there is always a nay sayer
@Jeni Moriarty: that’s true. But in this case I speak from experience. I have been on promotional tours in eights different venues around the world on St Patrick’s Day and that has been my personal experience.
Great idea..The article should say the cost of doing this.. Interesting to know.Knowing Ireland probably around 50 million..
@Roverandout: you do know that the individual countries will be paying for their own displays yeah? Christ
@Roverandout:
This is one of tourism Ireland’s greatest coups.
The cost is almost nothing. They supply the correct coloured gels for the lighting system.
In some cases they may supply the lighting rig.
No other costs are paid.
@Fabio Dillon: calm down there chief. In 2014 Ireland spent €95k greening buildings. €64k of that was on buildings outside Ireland. I can only imagine what the cost is this year. This is a tourism initiative so we pay. Why did you (so forcefully) think other countries would take this expense?
@Jonathon Carroll: because they do.
@Fabio Dillon: no they dont..Is it not past your bedtime??
@Roverandout: yes they do. My god!
More places around the world compared to Ireland its self..
San Memes also celebrates Saint Patricks day. Gora Athletic Club Bilbao, Gora Euskal Herria.
Nice beaver.
How much does this cost us? Having to pay every venue?
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