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Tourism Ireland

New iconic sites to go green for St Patrick's Day

For the first time ever, Christ the Redeemer, the Pyramids of Giza, the ‘Welcome’ sign in Las Vegas and the Little Mermaid statue will all go green on 17 March.

SOME OF THE world’s most famous landmarks and iconic sites across the world are set to go green for St Patrick’s Day next month.

For the first time ever, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil; the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx in Egypt; the famous ‘Welcome’ sign in Las Vegas and the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen will all go green on 17 March.

Other newcomers include the HMS Belfast in London; City Hall in Houston, Texas; the Citadel in Jordan; the Tower of Hercules in Galicia in Spain; the futuristic new EYE Film Institute in Amsterdam; the International School in Bonn and the Allianz Arena in Munich (home ground of FC Bayern Munich).

(Tourism Ireland)

They will join a host of other major landmarks and iconic sites around the world in Tourism Ireland’s annual ‘global greening’ initiative, including the Sydney Opera House; Niagara Falls; the Leaning Tower of Pisa; the Prince’s Palace of Monaco; Burj al Arab in Dubai; Table Mountain in South Africa; the Empire State Building in New York; Burg Theater (City Hall) in Vienna; the Sky Tower in New Zealand and the TV tower in Berlin’s Alexanderplatz.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar said the icons to list are a “major coup” for Irish tourism. He added that they would be using the “opportunity to send out the message that Ireland is the place to visit in 2013”.

(Tourism Ireland)

Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “People across the world instantly identify St Patrick’s Day with the island of Ireland and that heightened profile allows us to put the Ireland holiday experience in the spotlight – from Sydney to London and Stockholm to Las Vegas. Our St Patrick’s programme will span Great Britain, Mainland Europe, North America, Australia, as well as developing markets such as China, India and South Africa.”

Read: Calls to make St. Patrick’s Day a national holiday in the US >

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21 Comments
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    Mute Michael Russell
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    Feb 13th 2013, 12:46 PM

    This is so cool. The concept is spreading so fast

    256
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    Mute Chris Massey
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    Feb 13th 2013, 12:51 PM

    I was green this morning, never drinkin again!

    135
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    Mute Owen O'Sullivan
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    Feb 13th 2013, 1:20 PM

    We are a small island but we have conquerd the world (more or less ) B-)

    96
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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    Feb 13th 2013, 1:26 PM

    Table mountain must take some lighting!!

    61
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    Mute Thomas o brien
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    Feb 13th 2013, 2:07 PM

    The gathering committee will claim that this was there idea

    18
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    Mute Cpm
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    Feb 13th 2013, 4:32 PM

    Where idea?

    25
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    Mute SuperFry
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    Feb 13th 2013, 6:27 PM

    Over there!!

    11
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    Mute Jim Flavin
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    Feb 13th 2013, 1:34 PM

    pity we do not have more to celebrate here – paying bankers bills and the cutbacks to services makes it a farce as far as i am concerned . We have corrupt politicins still fre , Banksters who will never go to jail .
    People put on te breadline because of casino Banking –
    .What exactly is there to celebrate – that Ireland is a good place to commit crime – and get away with it .??

    13
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    Mute sluazcanal
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    Feb 13th 2013, 1:41 PM

    Ah jaysus. You poor divil.

    67
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    Mute shadow75
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    Feb 13th 2013, 1:42 PM

    Annnnnddd we’re back

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    See 6 more replies ▾
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    Mute TheHeathen
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    Feb 13th 2013, 1:51 PM

    Ah jaysus…

    45
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    Mute Brian Rochford
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    Feb 13th 2013, 1:55 PM

    ….wept

    33
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    Mute Stephen O'Connell
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    Feb 13th 2013, 2:55 PM

    Not even 1 single page on the journal where someone isn’t going on about banks, bonholders, government,

    Do you bring this up while people are out having drinks and having a laugh?

    I’d say you’re great fun at parties

    79
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    Mute Ciara McCorley
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    Feb 13th 2013, 4:20 PM

    change the record or fe*k off to a whingers thread this is great for Ireland and Irish tourism around the world. ..

    41
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    Mute Brian Rochford
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    Feb 13th 2013, 6:23 PM

    We need a term for this similar to Godwins Rule , which states that if an internet thread runs for long enough some one will mention Hitler and/ or the Nazis ( yes , I’ve just done so now : – please don’t point that out ) .

    We can call it Biffo’s law or whatever and whoever breaks it i.e. brings up the recession / bailout / crappy govt. out of context should face a consequence.

    Any thoughts on the rule name and consequence ?

    19
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    Mute sluazcanal
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    Feb 13th 2013, 11:17 PM

    Bollitix law.

    3
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    Mute Partysauras Rex
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    Feb 13th 2013, 12:45 PM

    Errrr, why?

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    Feb 13th 2013, 1:25 PM

    Why not?

    112
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    Mute TheHeathen
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    Feb 13th 2013, 2:32 PM

    That’s what the dinosaurs were thinking when they saw a fish trying to walk

    48
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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Feb 13th 2013, 9:50 PM

    What a list. I just love that the Sphinx is going to go green for us. Btw, why is the London Eye not on there? Or did it go without saying that it would go green?
    We should email Boris Johnson to find out!

    5
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    Mute Hugo Sanchez
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    Feb 13th 2013, 2:56 PM

    Ahh cant believe you deleted my comment after all my effort Amy..

    I know you really didn’t want to either … :-)

    4
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