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Niagara Falls to go green for St. Patrick’s Day in tourism push for Ireland

Global landmarks to turn green in celebration of patron saint on the big day

CATHY HAYES,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 7:13 AM

Updated Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 9:27 AM

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Niagara Falls - green especially for St. Patrick's Day

Photo by Tourism Ireland

This year, the world famous Niagara Falls will be turned green for the first time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Tourism Ireland has announced.

Also going green on St. Patrick’s Day will be the fountains at the White House.

This marks the third year of Tourism Ireland’s “greening” initiative, in which famous landmarks around the globe turn green to honor Ireland’s patron Saint.

Attractions going green this March include the Empire State Building in New York; the London Eye; Burj Al Arab in Dubai; Table Mountain in South Africa; the Sky Tower in Auckland, and the TV tower in Berlin’s Alexanderplatz.

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Tourism Ireland’s chief executive, Niall Gibbons, said the annual campaign is a very cost effective way of promoting Ireland.

“Our aim is to bring a smile to the world and to convey the message that Ireland continues to offer a warm welcome, fun and spontaneity, alongside fantastic scenery and cultural activities,” he said.

“There will be saturation coverage of the island of Ireland across the airwaves, in newspapers and digital media and that’s an invaluable boost for our overall tourism marketing drive.”
Gibbons said the St.Pat’s period event would be used to launch The Gathering 2013, a year-long effort to bring the Irish diaspora home that has the potential to bring an extra 325,000 people to Ireland.

Minister for Tourism Leo Varadkar told the Irish Times that St Patrick’s Day provided “a unique shop window for Ireland around the world, for Irish tourism and for trade and investment”.

Here's one of Tourism Ireland's pushes from last year that went viral on YouTube - "Riverdance" falshmob at in the central Sydney train station (Organized in part by Sneaky Steppers):

Here's a clip by Discover Ireland on St. Patrick's Day:

Nster.com

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AOHBard | Feb 23, 2012, 04:55 PM EST

Tis is definitely NOT the first time the falls were turned green. In 1986, the AOH National Convention was held in Buffalo, NY and we were invit4erd to the viewing plaza on the Canadian side by either the Canadian or City government for a wine & cheese reception. While there, the multi-colored lights beneath the falls went black drawing everyone's attention to them. Over the loudspeakers came a welcoming message to the AOH and the falls were back-lit from edge to edge in Emerald Green. It was a magnificent sight that no-one there will ever forget. It was announced that it was the first time that had ever happened, and it was lighting, not dye. Mike McCormack

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Alexisfernandez | Feb 22, 2012, 10:45 AM EST

my friend's mother makes $74 an hour on the computer. She has been fired for 8 months but last month her check was $8737 just working on the computer for a few hours. Go to this web site and read more... LazyCash10.com

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Samraire | Feb 22, 2012, 10:25 AM EST

I live near Buffalo, NY. I can assure everyone that the Niagara River will not be dyed green. There are massive lights on the Canadian side that shine on the falls every night, usually changing colors throughout the evening. They're just simply going with green lights for St. Patty's Day. :)

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borefield | Feb 22, 2012, 03:46 AM EST

These are all very positive things. Keep promoting them and not the drinking.

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joan1954 | Feb 21, 2012, 08:59 PM EST

The San Antonio River is dyed green everyyear from a dye approved by the US Air Force which is environmentally friendly. The USAF uses it to find downed airmen.

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AMWilson | Feb 21, 2012, 05:08 PM EST

I assume that's FD&C Yellow #5 and Blue Lake #2... yummy! I'd be curious to know if they've found tumors on the fish after dying these waters. Then again, considering all that is upstream of the Falls, there may no longer be any fish to be concerned about.

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RedBranch | Feb 21, 2012, 02:57 PM EST

No problemo with the 4leaf clover, Ireland has no monopoly on that (the harp on the other hand...) Just the shades used to portray Irishness in the States aren't always readily on display in Ireland, but again no problem, there is no 'standard green', just as there are no 'standard Irishman and woman'.

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Murph46 | Feb 21, 2012, 12:51 PM EST

Hey RedbBranch didn't you like the T-Shirt with the clover?

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RedBranch | Feb 21, 2012, 12:25 PM EST

There's that Kelly Green again, the same as on the Obama T shirt and one of the few shades not encountered in Ireland.

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Murph46 | Feb 21, 2012, 11:13 AM EST

edmundburke,thank you for the info! That is a lot of "recycled" green beer going over the falls though!

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edmundburke | Feb 21, 2012, 10:01 AM EST

This would not be the first time that Niagara went "green", so to speak. The Niagara River and Falls separate New York state from Ontario, Canada. In June 1866, the Fenian movement assembled an invasion of the Ontario Niagara peninsula. Thousands of Irish veterans of the US Civil War crossed the river at Buffalo and took over the defunct Fort Erie and began a march into Ontario. The objective was to hold Canada hostage for Irish freedom. The local Canadian (then British North America) militia hastily formed a defense, and the two forces met and fought at the Battle of Ridgeway, the only battlefield victory of the Irish freedom movement in the 19th century. Concerned about massive British retaliation after Ridgeway, and cut off from supplies by President Johnson's closing of the border, enforced by General Grant, the Fenians withdrew and relinquished control of the Niagara peninsula back to Canadian authorities. Hence, the first "greening" of Niagara.

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joycean | Feb 21, 2012, 09:46 AM EST

Hopefully those are lights, not dye.

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donal1951 | Feb 21, 2012, 09:38 AM EST

The whole thing is kind of silly, but in a nice sort of way. Go Tourism Ireland.

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