Cullen Launches 2010 St Patrick's Festival

Martin Cullen T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism officially launched the 2010 St Patrick's Festival program last week.

Starting on March 12, the six days of the annual festival, now in its 15th year, will provide a wide range of free entertainment, including a mix of music, street theatre, dance and family activities, culminating with the national St Patrick's Day Parade in the capital.

Outside Dublin, on Saturday March 13, the National Lottery Skyfest fireworks display will be held near King John's Castle, Limerick. It will be a highlight of Limerick's Springfest programme also featuring street theatre, carnival, markets and an international bands parade.

Speaking at the launch of the 2010 Festival program, Minister Cullen said: "Each year the St Patrick's Festival provides us with the opportunity to enjoy the best contemporary celebration of Irish music, heritage, culture and community, and encompasses a feeling of what it means to be Irish - and on most continents to be 'honorary Irish' - for the day. It projects a very positive image of Ireland; an Ireland that has modernized and changed immeasurably, but yet, still manages to maintain the very best of its culture and traditions.

"The St Patrick's Festival is good for Ireland and particularly good for our tourism industry. The positive media coverage of the Festival is seen in our key international tourism markets at a time of the year when many people are planning annual holidays. Again this year, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland are planning to bring a significant number of overseas media to Ireland for the event," he added.

The St Patrick's Festival was established by the Government in 1995. The principal aim, since its inauguration, has been to develop a major annual international festival around Ireland's national holiday. "St Patrick's Day is now a truly global celebration with events happening right across the world from Australia to Asia to Europe and, of course, America," said the Minister.

"Given its popularity as an event to be celebrated in other parts of the world, it is appropriate that it has now become so re-vitalised in our own country. I congratulate all those who have contributed to the Festival's success including Festival Chairman David Harvey and CEO Susan Kirby."

The St Patrick's Festival is supported by the taxpayer through Fáilte Ireland's Festivals and Events Program, and further support is received from Dublin City Council.

The National Lottery is title sponsor of the Skyfest. Other funders include Foras na Gaeilge and Discover Science and Engineering.

New sponsors this year also include the Irish League of Credit Unions. "The credit union movement epitomises the co-operative spirit that has always been present in Ireland, and is reflected in the very significant voluntary effort that goes into many aspects of the St Patrick's Festival," concluded Minister Cullen.