Of all the mass gatherings in the near-diary, the biggest is Paddy’s Day, for which is planned multiple parades around Ireland, celebrating the other patron saint, the one who isn’t St Brigid. (And that isn’t St Columba/Colmcille either; we have three patron saints.) The biggie in the St Patrick’s Day parade stakes is Dublin, now the centrepiece of what’s grown into a five-day, multifaceted festival, a massive undertaking created by some 3,000 people.
At time of writing everything is still on course, but advice may change. The big people-gatherers in the Dublin festival are the parade, the Céilí Mór afterwards, and the four-day Festival Village at Merrion Square.
The National St Patrick's Festival Parade (Tuesday, March 17th) this year has six Irish street theatre companies and thousands of performers, actors, dancers, musicians, makers and creators joining 11 international marching bands (from Ireland, Scotland, France and the US) to celebrate Seoda – historical and contemporary Irish treasures.
The brilliant Festival Village on Merrion Square has expanded to four days (March 14th-17th), with a Gaeltacht area, science shows, circus performances and street theatre, children's readings (Dublin Unesco City of Literature's Citywide read is Boot by Shane Hegarty), live music, Actual Reality life-sized interactive game zone, world food stalls and giant wooden automata.
Céilí Mór at Festival Village (March 17th) features the Galway Traditional Orchestra, Matt Cunningham, other musicians and dancers in a free large-scale outdoor, bilingual, participative event for both beginners and enthusiasts.
Aside from the larger events, a ton of others, loosely themed on the treasures of Ireland – oral traditions, art, poetry and literature – pose fewer crowd challenges.
Abair (March 13th-16th) traditional singing and storytelling, across the city and for all ages, will explore Irish oral folk traditions, curated by traditional singer Macdara Yeates, and featuring Traveller singer Thomas McCarthy, storytellers Liz Weir, Nuala Hayes, Eddie Lenihan and Jack Lynch, traditional harmonists Landless, poets Annemarie Ní Churreáin and Dermot Bolger, sean-nós singer Doireann Glackin, singer-songwriter Steo Wall, singer and bouzouki player Daoirí Farrell, flautist, tin whistle player and singer Cathal McConnell and traditional singers Rosie Stewart, Dáibhidh Stiúbhaird and Len Graham.
Also new is a Port to City Treasure Hunt (March 15th); download an app and follow the clues to discover Dublin's historic port.
There are two musical world premieres: contemporary folk group This Is How We Fly collaborate with singer Iarla Ó Lionáird at Liberty Hall Theatre; and Matthew Nolan and Adrian Crowley reimagine James Joyce's Pomes Penyeach with Lisa Hannigan and guests at the National Concert Hall. Colm Mac Con Iomaire and his band perform The River Holds Its Breath/Tost Ar An Abhainn with ConTempo Quartet at Vicar Street; Dublin duo Mount Alaska (with Slow Moving Clouds) in the Pepper Canister Church; Dublin Gospel Choir with guests Kitt Philippa and UMAN, also at Pepper Canister; and a show curated by DJ Annie Mac at Guinness Storehouse.
A "Celtic collaboration" with Wales and Scotland comprises two concerts: Northern Irish-English alt-folk duo The Breath with Scottish piper Brìghde Chaimbeul and fiddle player Aidan O'Rourke at the Pepper Canister; and Gruff Rhys and Richard Egan at Christ Church Cathedral.
A Treasury of Irish Voices in Dublin Castle sounds intriguing: broadcaster and historian Brendan Balfe talks to Dave Fanning about historic recordings of Irish writers, poets, performers and public figures. And broadcaster Marian Richardson interviews comedian/actor Deirdre O'Kane at the Pepper Canister.
Where We Live is a mini festival within the festival, with Thisispopbaby presenting new work in 22 shows at Project exploring how it feels to live in Dublin and Ireland right now.
There's also a new After Dark club series across the city, hidden Dublin tours and trails, and eclectic (and some over-18s) exhibitions.
The snakes didn’t stump the man in green, and we’re hoping the coronavirus won’t either.
St Patrick's Festival Dublin, March 13-17. stpatricksfestival.ie
