St. Patrick’s Day is on 17 March and the Embassy of Ireland is preparing numerous cultural events to celebrate this date throughout the country. The full programme can be consulted here, but we are going to highlight those that will be held in Madrid.
– The Irish Business Network of Spain will hold its biannual St. Patrick’s Day Charity Ball on Friday 17 March at the Westin Palace Hotel in Madrid. As well as celebrating Irish music, food and culture, the ball will, as always, support good causes in Ireland and Spain. This year, proceeds from the ball will be donated to Alpha-1 Ireland and Alpha-1 Spain, non-profit organisations that help people suffering from an under-diagnosed genetic disease called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. More information about the event can be found on the SIBN website and tickets can be purchased here. If you have any questions about the dance, please contact the SIBN directly at admin@sibn.es.
– Tourism Ireland is pleased to present its Ireland Week in partnership with Metro de Madrid, 13-19 March. This year they have prepared an amazing programme to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, full of music, dance, literature and a photo exhibition. You can check out the activities on their website.
– The dance group Irish Treble will perform their show Viaje Celta at the Sala Galileo Galilei on Sunday 19 March, at 20.30h. Tickets on sale here.
– St. Patrick’s Day Picnic, on Sunday 19 March, 12h-17h, at the Zona Recreativa “Cerca Cabilda”, Hoyo de Manzanares, Sierra de Guadarrama. Please bring your own food and drink for the picnic, and bring sports equipment, musical instruments, etc. For more information about the activity and directions, please email admin@sibn.es.
– The Pipe Band Foundation of the Principality of Asturias is organising the first St. Patrick’s Day parade, in which more than 15 pipe bands from all over Spain will take part. The parade will start on Saturday 18 March at 5 p.m. and will run from Calle Ciudad Rodrigo (next to the Plaza Mayor) to the Royal Palace. After the parade, there will be a Celtic music festival in the Sala Changó, at 9pm.
– The Madrid Hash House Harriers will have their St. Patrick’s Day race on Sunday 12 March at 1pm. More details on the website closer to the date.
– On St Patrick’s Day, Irish folk music group The GreenTones will perform their show St Patrick’s Day is Monumental, along with other musicians from the RTVE orchestra, at the Teatro Monumental in Madrid. More information about the event and tickets here.
– And last but not least, The Irish Rover will join the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on 16 and 17 March, with concerts by different music groups such as U2LIVE (tribute band – free entry), The Lighthouse Keepers (free entry), Las Salvation (tribute band to The Cranberries – tickets) etc., followed by DJ sets dedicated to Irish music. More information on their website.
