The Chinese new year begins at 4pm Irish time today and will be marked by a traditional carnival, complete with dragons, lion dances and martial arts displays in Wolf Tone Park in Dublin’s Jervis Street.
Renowned Chinese musicians the Silk and Bamboo Trio will welcome in the year of the Ox with a series of pieces played on silk strings and bamboo flutes. The park will then be taken over by Chinese acrobatics, face-changing episodes from Sichuan Opera, and traditional Chinese ribbon dancers.
Those in the market for paper lanterns, fans and chopsticks can also visits the various market stalls flanking the park. The carnival runs to 6pm this evening, after which festivities move to the nearby Club at the Church venue on Mary Street, where there will be further live performances and music from top Chinese DJs.
Dublin Zoo is also joining in the celebrations and has designed a specific trail to visit its Asian animals and will be offering a Chinese menu at its Meerkat restaurant all week. A series of talks by Zoo keepers on Chinese red pandas, tigers, elephants and birds, is also running during the week.
The Chester Beatty Library in Dublin Castle is the centre of Chinese art and culture for the week and will host a number of events including lectures by Irish Times journalists Fintan O'Toole and Ruadhan McCormaic.
The RIAI in Merrion Square is holding Sino / Celtic design and architectural exhibitions from 9am – 5pm daily from tomorrow until January 30th. Items on display include exclusive fashion pieces from designer, John Rocha - including items from his 2009 collection. Architecture, interior and urban designs by students and professionals from the CIAI will also be showcased.
Full details of all events and opening times is available at www.dublin.ie/cny.
