[Colm Moore]

http://www.luas.ie/st-patricks-festival.html

Luas brings you to the St Patrick’s Festival 2011
01 March 2011

Luas is pleased to announce that it is an official sponsor of the St Patrick’s Festival 2011. This year the festival takes place over 5 days, with events running from Wednesday 16th of March to Sunday 20th of March.

The festival kicks off on Wednesday 16th of March with a free Festival Ceili from 4.30pm to 7.30pm in St Stephens Green Park. The nearest Luas stop to this event is Stephens Green on the green line, Abbey Street on the red line.

The world famous St Patrick’s Day parade is on Thursday March 17th and starts at Parnell Square at 12pm and travels down O’Connell St, Westmoreland St and Dame St before ending near St Patrick’s Cathedral. This year to celebrate Dublin’s appointment as a UNESCO City of Literature, Booker-prize winning author Roddy Doyle has written a short story called ‘Brilliant’ which is the theme of the 2011 parade. The nearest Luas stops are Jervis & Abbey St on the red line and Stephen’s Green on the green line.

On Friday March 18th, visitors to Dublin can attend the ‘DublinSwell’ event at 7.30pm in the National Convention Centre in the IFSC. This event will celebrate Dublin’s UNESCO City of Literature designation and rich literary heritage with readings, reflections, stagings, film, song and music and in the company of Dublin’s finest writers, actors and musicians including the Nobel Laureate, Seamus Heaney. The nearest Luas stops are George’s Dock on the red line and Stephen’s Green on the green line.

On Saturday March 18th, visitors to Dublin can see the Crafted Creatures exhibition and Trail at the Ark Temple Bar (open from 16th-20th of March) as well as enjoying open air funfairs in Merrion Square, Wolfe Tone Park and at Custom House Quay (open from 16th-20th of March). The Skyfest Spectacle will take place in Wexford this year. The nearest Luas stops for Dublin-based events on this date are Jervis, Abbey St and Busaras on the Red Line and Stephen’s Green on the green line.

On Sunday 20th of March the festival comes to a close with the ‘Big Day Out’ in Merrion Square Park . This event is a celebration of Irish street arts with a wide variety of open air shows from leading professional street theatre artists including The Fanzini Brother’s, Lords of Strut, Tumble Circus, Fidget Feet Aerial Dance, Bui Bolg and Cathal Carroll. The park based workshop area offers hands-on sessions for a variety of ages throughout the day. The nearest Luas stops are George’s Dock on the red line and Stephen’s Green on the green line.

For more information on all events happening as part of the St Patrick’s Festival, please see www.stpatrickfestival.ie