Paddys day plan for Seoul

Info from here
http://www.iak.co.kr/

Korea’s Most Celebrated Foreign Festival Saved by Seoul Government

- 2009 St. Patrick’s Day Festival to focus on community spirit thanks to “rub of the green” –

First Release – To Be Updated Later – Times Subject to Change (since we’re Irish)

(Seoul, 09.02.17) With business tightening its belt buckle in the face of the prevailing global economic downturn, one of Korea’s largest and most well-attended foreign festivals has received last-minute funding to ensure its celebration in 2009. Thanks to sponsorship and assistance from Korean Air, Diageo Korea (Guinness) and the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Seoul’s 9^th Irish Festival – 2009 St. Patrick's Day Festival – will go ahead as planned in Daehangno on Saturday, March 14^th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Attracting an estimated 18,000 attendees in 2008, the Irish Festival, organized by the Irish Association of Korea (IAK), was in danger of not going ahead this year as significant corporate sponsorship was not renewed. The traditional and colorful street parade is a costly venture, and the festival in Seoul had also traditionally been accompanied with a free open air concert and fair. However, thanks to our loyal support from long-standing sponsors, this year’s festival will focus on continuing to build community spirit.

“Guess we got the rub of the green again!” joked Kevin Tobin, Chairman of the IAK. (Editor’s note: Ireland is commonly associated with the color green and good luck, particularly in North American and the United Kingdom.) “Every year we get more and more involvement and participation from Korean and non-Irish community groups and individuals, and there is an unwritten expectation in Seoul that this event will take place.

“As a group of volunteers, both Irish and Korean, we rely on the spirit of the community and other groups to make our event a success. This is what St. Patrick’s Day is about: sharing and celebrating cultural diversity together.”

The Festival will feature both Irish and Korean music and dance, including brass bands, rock ‘’n’ roll, traditional Irish music plus traditional Irish dance. The audience will be invited to participate in what has become a Seoul Irish Festival tradition – Irish folk dancing. There will be an informal parade through the streets of Ihwa-dong, east of Daehagno Boulevard, starting and ending at Marronnier Park. The IAK is calling on all Koreans and members of the foreign community to participate in and support this friendship march and to celebrate Ireland's national holiday by wearing green. The IAK will accommodate all non-profit groups into the street parade sequence.

1. Traditional Irish Concert & Fair – Marronnier Park, Daehangno, (Hyewha Station, #4 Light Blue Line, Exit 2) 11 a.m., to 5 p.m., March 14^th
2. St. Patrick's Day Parade – start @ Marronnier Park, Daehangno, 1 to 2 p.m., March 14^th
3. 'Hooley' at Dublin Terrace in Gangnam, 5 minutes from Gangnam Station, Exit 7 – from 7 p.m. to late (tickets at 50,000 won, includes free Guinness, drinks and food), March 14^th
4. 
   

Visit http://www.iak.co.kr for up-to-date information about the 9^th Irish Festival in Korea

(or www.seoulshamrock.co.kr).

Editors Note

The festival commemorates Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint. It is sponsored by Ireland’s No.1 beer, Guinness, to promote the festival in Seoul alongside similar festivals in countries from Ireland to the USA, Canada, Australia and Japan. People visiting Marronnier Park, Daehagno on the 14^th are welcomed to enjoy traditional Irish dance and traditional music performance, and take part or support the Grand Parade by wearing green costumes.

About the Irish Association of Korea
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.

If you wish to develop a feature or interview members of the Irish community in Korea, please contact:

For English For Korean

Mr. Eoin O’Colgain Mr. Jungmin Kim

010-3160-5850 or 010-6299-1854 or

orocolgain@gmail.com kjm811022@hotmail.com