Around 30,000 people from around the globe are expected to visit the capital this St. Patrick’s Day.
They will join around 500,000 expected to line this year’s parade route which will feature 7 creative pageants, 10 transitional showpiece performances, 15 marching bands from across Ireland, North America and Canada, and over 4,000 participants in what is shaping up to be the largest ever National St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The National St. Patrick’s Day Festival at Collins Barracks will run from March 16th to 19th with the theme ‘Mar a chéile sinn’ (We Are One) and feature a ‘Géilí’ hosted by drag queen Panti Bliss and a circus show, among other events planned.
It’s the first year it’ll be held since Covid travel restrictions were lifted, and the weekend will coincide with Ireland versus England in the Rugby Six Nations.
All daytime events will be free of charge, along with the full day and night programme on St. Patrick’s Day. Night time events on the 16th and 18th of March will require a pre-purchased ticket that will be valid for the full evening’s programme.
Just a short walk from the city centre, easily accessible by Luas and bus, and adjacent to Heuston Station, Festival Quarter will be open to all ages throughout the day, and will be reserved for adults only from 6pm to 10:30pm.
Speaking of the Festival programme announcement, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroysaid: I’m really looking forward to this year’s St. Patrick’s Festival, not only the parade through our Capital’s streets on March 17th but also the fantastic Festival Quarter, back for its second year at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks. I congratulate the St. Patrick’s Festival Board and team for once again creating such a wonderful celebration packed full of so much fantastic Irish talent.”
Of the Programme announcement, Richard Tierney, CEO, St. Patrick’s Festival said: “I am especially looking forward to St. Patrick’s Festival 2023, my first at the helm of this fantastic festival celebrating the best of Irish culture today. It takes a huge amount of artists, arts workers, makers, creators, live events teams and community organisations, drawn from across the nation, as well as the core Festival team to bring the magical national festival to life each year. There is so much to enjoy from the 16th to the 19th, from song, story and performance, to film, theatre, tours, food and so much more. I’m especially looking forward to our new Suntas programme. We are incredibly thankful to all our funders, partners and sponsors who have made this year’s Festival possible and can’t wait to welcome everyone from near and far to Dublin this March.”
Catherine Martin T.D, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media commented: “It is said that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day and we welcome that inclusion warmly. It is a day to celebrate our heritage and our history and we invite the world to join in the 2023 celebrations. The festival has grown and flourished through the years and is full of the best of Irish culture, creativity and heritage of which we are all very proud. I have approved support of €600,000 from my Department for this great festival and I look forward to the full and eventful line up which has been organised for this year’s festival.”
