Spain goes green for St Patrick
Various famous sites in Spain have been turned green to celebrate St Patrick’s Day on March 17 from the famous Cibeles fountain in Madrid to a small town in southern Spain.
Whilst most people would expect to be surrounded by Guinness drinking, shamrock wearing Irishmen in the streets of Dublin or New York, its is surprising how the day celebrating a Welsh saint who travelled to Ireland to spread Christianity in the 4th Century has become an international event.
In southern Spain, especially along the Costa Blanca, St Patrick’s Day is taken very seriously. There are very many Irish bars, with areas such as Playa Flamenca on the Orihuela Costa having a very high density of Irish ex-pats. March 17 therefore is a day to get out your very large green leprechaun hat, join in the parade and drink lots of Guinness.
This year, however, the magic of green is spreading further afield. In Madrid, the famous Cibeles fountain is being turned green as part of a worldwide event to promote Irish tourism and culture abroad. It will be joined by famous landmarks such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, Niagara falls and Table Mountain in South Africa. Madrid’s Irish bars will have special events and offers over the weekend.
