Ireland and the world will celebrate St Patrick's Day on Wednesday, however, the usually lively celebrations will look a bit different this year.
The parades, concerts and street parties usually witnessed will instead be replaced with a series of online virtual events.
Tourism Ireland is marking the day with a special “St. Patrick’s Day at Home with Tourism Ireland” broadcast, featuring traditional and modern Irish music and dance from three pubs in Dublin, Belfast and Dingle.
The night's festivities start at Dublin's Johnnie Fox's Pub in Dublin, with a performance from drumming ensemble, the Celtic Drummers. The Shamrock Tenors will perform at The Duke of York pub in Belfast's historic Cathedral Quarter, while Dick Mack's Pub in Kerry will also be part of the 90-minute live event.
St. Patrick's Day at Home with Tourism Ireland will be shown from 7pm to 8.30pm Irish time on Tourism Ireland's Facebook page and YouTube account.
Next week, the world will celebrate #StPatricksDay ... the Tourism Ireland teams are sharing this '5 Ways to Celebrate St Patrick' video with our friends and followers around the world 💚☘️☘️ pic.twitter.com/QU6b9GXzOl
— Tourism Ireland (@TourismIreland) March 13, 2021
Here are five ways to celebrate at home:
1. Wear green
Get into the Irish spirit by dressing yourself in the colour of the Emerald Isle. Don your best green clothes to celebrate St Patrick's Day in style and bring yourself the luck of the Irish. For an extra dash, add a shamrock.
2. Join in with the virtual celebrations
Gather virtually with your friends and family to enjoy the online celebrations at home. From Tourism Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day at Home to New York City’s virtual St Patrick’s Day Parade, kicking off at 10am EDT (6pm GST), there are plenty of ways to celebrate online. You can watch the virtual NYC parade on the organisation's website, alongside a look back at the Fifth Avenue parades of years gone by.
3. Try out a traditional Irish recipe
Fancy marking St Patrick’s Day in the kitchen this year? Why not cook up a traditional Irish feast by making a wholesome stew or baking some traditional soda bread. Tourism Ireland has put together a handy list of St Patrick's Day recipes on its website, to give would be chefs some festive inspiration.
4. Enjoy some traditional Irish music
Music and dance is a huge part of Irish culture, and seeing as we can’t enjoy in-person live performances this year, bring the sound of Ireland to you at home. From live sessions taking place on Tourism Ireland’s YouTube page, to tuning into your favourite Irish singer’s back catalogue, the sounds will be enough to transport you to Ireland’s rugged shores.
5. Transport yourself to Ireland with a film marathon
Ireland's stunning landscape has been the backdrop for many films over the years, so why not tune into your favourite film to get lost among Ireland's rolling fields. From Harry Potter and Star Wars, to the Princess Bride and PS I Love You, a touch of Ireland can be found in just about any genre.
