A record number of Portuguese landmarks will be illuminated in green as part of a global initiative to celebrate Ireland’s National Day, St. Patrick’s Day, on Wednesday March 17.
The ‘Global Greenings’ aims to generate positivity around the world on St. Patrick’s Day by lighting up hundreds of internationally renowned sites - including the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Sydney Opera House, Niagara Falls, London Eye, New Zealand’s Sky Tower and the Prince’s Palace of Monaco – in Ireland’s national colour.
This year the Embassy of Ireland in Portugal is teaming up with Tourism Ireland and Turismo de Portugal to light up ten monuments and locations from Porto to the Algarve, as part of a broad package of activities to mark the feast day.
The list includes iconic locations such as Clérigos Tower in Porto, King Dom José I and Cristo Rei Statues in Lisbon and Faro International Airport in the Algarve, plus Museum Condes de Castro Guimarães, Cascais , Cascais Town Hall, Marvão Castle, Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, Braga, Bragança Castle and Ponte Pedonal Metálica de Peso da Régua.
Ireland’s Ambassador to Portugal Ralph Victory said: “While the ongoing public health situation means we cannot celebrate our National Day in person, the Embassy of Ireland in Lisbon is offering the ‘Greenings’ as a sign of hope and solidarity with our Portuguese friends in these challenging times.
With the kind assistance of Tourism Ireland and Turismo de Portugal’s Dublin Office, we are delighted to be setting a new record this year by lighting a series of monuments and locations the length and breadth of Portugal, in green up to and on the night of March 17.”
The Greenings form part of a wider programme of other special activities over the coming week to mark St. Patrick’s Day, including, special celebrations of Irish poetry and other Irish culture, musical performances, business conferences and an online receptions.
“At a time when many Irish people overseas cannot travel home, we will continue shining a green light across Portugal, giving our diaspora a sense of connection with home. We would like to welcome all of our Irish and Portuguese friends of Ireland nationwide to join us for these special activities”
The special activities in question include:
- An the Embassy of Ireland Lecture by Trinity College Dublin Professor Nicholas Grene in cooperation with the Universities of Lisbon and Porto to honour Ireland’s Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney.
- On Sunday, March 14, the Embassy is supporting a special ‘Harpas do Mondego’ performance by Irish harpist Siobhan Buckley, as part of the University of Coimbra’s XXIII Cultural Week.
- The Ireland Portugal Business Network Sustainability Conference, running between March 16 and 18, at which contributors will include Ireland’s Minister for Financial Services Seán Fleming T.D. and Irish MEP Barry Andrews.
- A live Irish cookery demonstration at Cascais Food Lab on March 17, before the Embassy stages an official online Reception later that evening to mark the National Day.
