St Patrick’s Day: the virtual events to check out

CHECK OUT

Dublin: #RTÉVirtualParade in partnership with St Patrick’s Festival want you to share your home-parade on social media with the hashtag #RTÉVirtualParade. Over on the St Patrick’s Festival website,  watch a special message from President Michael D. Higgins at 10.52am and check out A St. Patrick’s Festival Celebration with host Baz Ashmawy on RTÉ 1, at 6.30pm, with music from Soulé, a short film from Mark Smith, a poem from spoken word artist Stephen James Smith with young people from 32 counties, a performance from Hothouse Flowers and a comedy sketch from Foil Arms & Hog. At 8pm, watch a trad set in Whelan’s on the St Patrick’s Festival website with Lisa O’Neill, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Caoimhe Ní Fhlatharta, Seamus and Ronan Ó Flatharta, Diarmuid and Brian Mac Gloin, Cormac Begley, Ronan O’ Snodaigh and Myles O’ Reilly, Doireann and Siún Glackin and Mohammad Syfkhan.

Galway: The fountain in Eyre Square will turn green as part of St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Mayo: The Swinford Chats Podcast with Tommy Stenson and Cathal Kelly have teamed up with the town’s parade committee for a two-hour special video live stream on Facebook and YouTube, featuring actress and comedian Jane Lynch, a.k.a. Sue Sylvester in Glee – whose grandparents grew up nearby.

Cork: Over 40 buildings in Cork will be lit in green this week. Head over to corkstpatricksfestival.ie at 5pm for a fireside session broadcast from The White Horse, Ballincollig, with music from John Spillane, the Ceili Allstars, Caoimhín Ó Fearghail, Emerald On Ivory, Oisín Morrison and The Lee Valley String Band.

WATCH

U2 Go Home: Live From Slane 2001 – Paddy’s Day Special, 7.30pm

Over the next few weeks, U2 will be broadcasting four legendary concerts on their YouTube channel. The Virtual Road kicks off on St Patrick’s Day with the ‘U2 Go Home’ show from 2001 in Slane Castle with a performance from Dermot Kennedy. Watch here at 7.30pm.

Home: Part One, Abbey Theatre, 7pm

Home: Part One is the national theatre of Ireland’s response to the report on Mother and Baby Institutions. Focusing on the testimonies of survivors, Home: Part One will be broadcast on YouTube from 7pm. Watch here at 7pm.

LISTEN

This is Ireland from Christmas FM

For St Patrick’s Day only, Christmas FM will become ‘This is Ireland.’ With live presenters from 6am to 6am, listen to the songs and stories of Ireland. Listen on smart speakers, the Christmas FM app, TuneIn, at christmasfm.com and on socials @christmasfm.

Photography by Unsplash.