Belfast gears up for X-citing St Patrick`s Day
Belfast gears up for X-citing St Patrick`s Day
9 March 2009
Thousands of people are expected to pour into Belfast city centre for the annual St Patrick`s Day celebrations, organised by Belfast City Council.
Some 5,000 tickets for the centrepiece concert, featuring teenage singing sensation Eoghan Quigg, were snapped up in just a few days.
However, revellers can still enjoy the St Patrick`s Day atmosphere in Belfast city centre, with the spectacular carnival procession.
Exploring the theme of `Legends, Myths and Stories`, and featuring hundreds of participants from all corners of Belfast, it will leave the City Hall at 12 noon next Tuesday afternoon.
The carnival will make its way along Donegall Place to Castle Junction into Castle Place, then along High Street and Victoria Street, into Custom House Square.
The main concert, once again compèred by Pete Snodden of Cool FM, will start at 1pm. The first half of the bill will feature Celtic fusionists Bréag, Belfast-based traditional Irish five-piece At First Light and pioneering percussionists Torann.
The headline pop act will be Dungiven teenage singing sensation Eoghan Quigg, star of the last series of `The X Factor`.
With all tickets allocated, it must be stressed that admission to the concert site is by ticket only. No more tickets are available and no more will be released. All other standard Belfast City Council terms and conditions apply.
This is the fourth year that Belfast City Council has organised a spectacular carnival procession and free concert.
Lord Mayor Tom Hartley said:
“Over the past number of years, St Patrick`s Day has become one of the undoubted highlights of Belfast City Council`s events calendar, and this year will see the event continue to grow.
“The council has worked extremely hard to make the event fully inclusive, so that it appeals to all sections of the community, and this work definitely has paid off, to make St Patrick`s Day an occasion which can be enjoyed by all the people of Belfast, and visitors alike,” said the Lord Mayor.
Later that evening, two more special concerts will round off St.Patrick`s Day in style. The Ulster Orchestra will be giving their now traditional concert at the Belfast Waterfront, while the newly reopened Ulster Hall will be hosting `Sham-Rock`, a tribute to two of Ireland`s music greats, Rory Gallagher and Thin Lizzy.
Belfast City Council also has funded a wide variety of community groups across the city, to help people celebrate St. Patrick`s Day in their own neighbourhoods. Almost 100 organisations have received a share of £30,000 in grant aid from the council`s Good Relations Fund.
On the Saturday 14 February, St George`s Market will be briefly transformed into St Patrick`s Market, with traditional music by `Toss the Feathers` on Uilleann pipes and flute, Irish dancing by the Cathy O`Connor School and a cookery demonstration of traditional Irish fayre by Oxford Exchange restaurant.
For details on all events on and around St Patrick`s Day, visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events
