Dublin Port’s iconic landmarks are set to be illuminated in green for the first time to celebrate the St Patrick’s Festival next week.
The Diving Bell on Sir Rogerson’s Quay, Port Centre and Crane 292 will be aglow in emerald for the duration of the festival from Thursday 15 to Monday 19 March at dusk each evening.
And they will be in illustrious company as each year global landmarks show their St Patrick’s Day spirit by going green.
This year over 300 stadiums, statues, museums and towers will take part, including the Colosseum in Rome, Sydney Opera House and Niagara Falls — not to mention the GPO, Kilkenny Castle and the Rock of Cashel closer to home.
Speaking on its inclusion in the St Patrick’s Festival, Dublin Port Company chief executive Eamonn O’Reilly said: “Usually blue is our favourite colour at the port but we’re keen to go green next week.
“The inclusion of these iconic port landmarks is of special significance for us as port city integration is at the core of everything we do. There is a shared history, culture and community between the port and our capital city.
“We hope that people enjoy our contribution to this year’s festival and come to see some fantastic port landmarks in a new light.”
Susan Kirby, CEO of the St Patrick’s Festival, added: “It’s wonderful that Dublin Port is greening the new Port Centre plaza and two of its heritage sites and that it is also part of our artistic programme for this year’s St Patrick’s Festival programme. Dublin Port is a part of our capital city which is steeped in history and has some fantastic stories to tell.
“I would encourage anyone who wants to learn a little more about the port and the shipping industry to download and enjoy the Port Walks podcast walking tour which is engaging and enlightening in equal measure and provides some fascinating insights.”
The landmarks included in the festival are also part of Dublin Port Company’s developing heritage trail, which follows a path along the River Liffey from the Diving Bell via Grand Canal Dock and onward towards North Wall Quay Extension across the East Link bridge to Port Centre on the East Wall Road.
Port Centre precinct has recently undergone redevelopment and is now open to the public with a new public plaza featuring a maritime garden with seats for reflection and relaxation and a sculptural sphere which echoes the time ball of the old Ballast Office.
The port is encouraging members of the public to share their images of these three landmarks lit up on social media with the hashtags #globalgreening #DublinPortCentre #DublinPortCrane #DivingBell and #StPatricksFest.