A Unique Celebration of Ireland’s National Day in Seoul

One of Seoul’s most popular and widely participated cultural events will continue to be hosted in the city – it wouldn’t be March if Ireland’s national day, Saint Patrick’s Day, wasn’t being celebrated. Thanks to the kind support of Daesung Corporation, the Asia Ireland Chamber of Commerce in Korea, Korean Air, the Dublin Institute of Technology, Diageo, the Hyatt Hotel and a number of individual and private donations, the 12th Saint Patrick’s Festival in Seoul will take place on Saturday March 17 in the D-Cube Plaza, Sindorim from 12.30pm to 6pm (free to everyone).

Having attracted over 15,000 spectators to past events, The Irish Association of Korea, who organise the event, are grateful for the support of trusted sponsors without whom this costly event wouldn’t have come into being.

This year’s festival will concentrate on the music and dance performances which people will be familiar with from previous festivals. Every festival has been a showcase and celebration of Irish culture, and this festival will not differ. The open air concert which has become synonymous with Saint Patrick’s Day in Seoul will be the centrepiece of the Irish Association of Korea’s festival this year.

The festival is known for its keen participation from members of both the Irish and Korean community. This year will not disappoint with traditional folk-dancers and musicians playing Irish music, both traditional and popular rock, all coming from Korea. Musicians from Ireland will also feature heavily on the bill. The festival will also feature a performance by the United States 8th Army Band, who will perform Irish songs.

The festival will also offer an opportunity for the public to get involved – folk-dancing, which has grown in popularity every year, will take place at the main stage. The dancing gives everyone, young and old, a chance to come up and try some of the lively dances.

Also, a display of gaelic football – a unique national sport from Ireland – will be hosted by the Seoul Gaels gaelic football team, one of the most successful teams in Asia. They hosted the very successful Asian Gaelic Games in Korea in September last year, when teams traveled from all over Asia to Korea to play Ireland’s national sport.

This year the festival plans to draw attention to those of Irish birth and heritage who died in the service of the Korean people during the Korean war. Next year marks the 60th anniversary of end of the war and it is hoped that an inclusive memorial can be dedicated in 2013 to those Irish who died. The memorial will recall those of Irish birth and heritage who fought and died particularly at Happy Valley; those of Irish birth and heritage who fought in the service of the UN, regardless of national army; and those civilians who died side by side with the Korean people, in particular the Columban Fathers and Sister who are known to have died. To this end on St Patrick’s Day we will be fund raising for the memorial and will be grateful for all donations.

The festival is going to be a great day out for families – there will be face painting for the kids, plenty of balloons (can you guess what colour they will be?) including balloon art with clowns. To make sure you have enough energy for all this there will be Irish Stew and other Irish foods available.

Following the festivities in D-Cube, there will be a hooley (Irish party) in the Rocky Mountain Tavern in Itaewon starting at 7:00 pm and going on until late. There will be a 2 floors of music in the Rocky Mountain Tavern, traditional Irish music downstairs and a more contemporary, rock sound upstairs. The 6 nations rugby match (Ireland v England) will be shown at 02:00 am (internet feed).

The Irish Association of Korea is a group of volunteers, both Irish and Korean, who rely on the spirit of the community and other groups to make events a success. All over the world St. Patrick’s Day is a great example of sharing and celebrating cultural diversity together.

The IAK invites you to join in the festivities from the afternoon through to the night. Everyone, Koreans and members of the foreign community, are invited to participate in and support this friendship festival and to celebrate Ireland’s national holiday by wearing green and joining the party!

Schedule for the daytime festival is as follows:

12:30-13:00 US 8th Army Band
13:00-13:20 Introductory speeches by Irish Ambassador, Dr. Eamonn McKee and IAK chair Conor O’Reilly
13:20-13:50 Banu (traditional Irish group)
13:50-14:20 Step dancers + audience dancing (spot prize for best dancer)
14:20-15:00 Have No Name (Korean U2 tribute band)
15:00-15:30 Bard (Korean traditional Irish band)
15:30-15:45 Step dancers + audience dancing
15:45-16:00 Bard (Korean traditional Irish band)
16:00-16:30 Audience dancing (spot prize for best dancer)
16:30-16:45 Banu (traditional Irish group)
16:45-17:20 Dara Sheehan (Irish contemporary)
17:20-18:00 Sweet Murphy’s Fancy (contemporary rock band)

All performance times and performers may change at the organisers discretion.

The evening hooley at the Rocky Mountain Tavern will have 2 floors of music, on the smoke free first floor level we will have performances by Dara Sheehan and Irish traditional group Irish Tea. Things are going to be a bit noisier on the second floor with Have No Name, The Drunk Democracy and Sweet Murphy’s Fancy all playing. Don’t forget the 6 nations rugby match (Ireland v England) will be shown at 02:00 am (internet feed). Tickets for the evening event will be available at the door (price 10,000 krw, drinks promotions on the evening).

Founded in 1996, the Irish Association of Korea promotes Irish culture in Korea by organizing events of interest to Irish people in Korea, and that are opportunities for Koreans and other people living in Korea to experience and learn more about Irish life. Among other events, it organizes the annual St. Patrick’s Day festival in which over 18,000 people participated in Seoul in 2008 and now celebrating the Twelfth Annual Irish Festival. Please visit our website for further details and updates – http://www.iak.co.kr

If you wish to develop a feature or interview members of the Irish community in Korea, please contact:
Ms Shauna Browne
iak.publicity@gmail.com

It would be impossible for the IAK to organise St Patrick’s Day without the generosity of the following sponsors: