Entertainment

Turning The World Green for St Patrick's Day 2015

SOME OF Britain’s most iconic buildings and landmarks will take on a green glow this March to help celebrate St Patrick’s Day 2015 in style – with London’s Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square leading the charge.

For the first time the 170-ft tall monument will ‘Go Green’ at 6pm on parade day, March 15, as the fun of the London St Patrick’s Day Festival draws to a close.

It will be followed by greenings across the capital and the world – as the Irish all over the globe enjoy a host of events marking Ireland’s national day.

While the world famous London Eye will once again go green for the occasion, so too will the Selfridges department store in Oxford Street and the world renowned Abbey Road Studios in the London borough of Camden.

The theme will continue across Europe this year – where the greening tradition will find its place in Italy, where the Colosseum in Rome will turn green for the very first time.

In France the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in the fabled district of Montmartre in Paris will also make its debut in the worldwide greening stakes – also joining the trend for the very first time in 2015.

Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan commended the work of the Irish Embassies across the world and their partners at Tourism Ireland in organising the greenings of buildings and monuments around the globe ahead of St Patrick’s Day.

“I am delighted that the Colosseum in Rome is to be greened for the first time, on the initiative of our Embassy in Rome, and that the Embassy in Paris has secured the agreement of the Mayor of Paris to the first-time greening of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in the district of Montmartre overlooking the city of Paris,” he said.

“The greening of iconic sites is symbolic of the great friendship that exists between Ireland and so many countries around the world. It presents us with an invaluable opportunity to deepen existing friendships, strengthen awareness of Ireland and our rich heritage, and forge new ties,” he added.

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “This is the sixth year of Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative and each year I am delighted to see even more well-known attractions and landmark sites wishing to get involved and join our St Patrick’s celebrations.”