Ireland's St. Patrick's Day parade returns after three-year COVID-19 absence

DUBLIN --
Eire will rejoice St. Patrick's Day with a parade by way of the streets of Dublin for the primary time in three years subsequent month - and organizers hope the green-festooned festivities will energize a tourism sector hammered by a tricky lockdown regime.

The March 17 public vacation, celebrated in cities and villages throughout the nation, was one of many first massive occasions to be cancelled in 2020, shortly earlier than the financial system was shutdown for the primary time to gradual the unfold of the coronavirus.

The federal government dropped virtually all COVID-19 curbs final month, backed by certainly one of Europe's highest uptake of booster vaccines. The remaining restrictions equivalent to mask-wearing are set to finish later this month.

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"Our nationwide day sends the message out loud and clear – Eire is open once more for tourism and we can't wait to roll out the "inexperienced carpet" and welcome guests from close to and much," Tourism Minister Catherine Martin stated in a press release.

The principle parade in Dublin, which drew some 500,000 revelers from all over the world every year earlier than the pandemic, has served to kick off the capital's tourism season and can once more be the centerpiece of a five-day competition of occasions this yr.

A COVID vaccination certificates will nonetheless be required to enter the nation, as is the case throughout the European Union.

Eire loved a tourism growth earlier than the pandemic with guests from overseas hitting a brand new excessive in every of the 5 years to 2019.

However the variety of abroad passengers touring to and from Eire plummeted to 4.5 million in 2020 and 5 million in 2021 from simply over 20 million in 2019.

The St. Patrick's Day competition shall be essential in working in direction of the restoration of the tourism sector, Orla Carroll, Director of Product improvement at Failte Eire, the nation's tourism authority, stated.

Round 10 per cent of Eire's workforce was employed in tourism-related sectors earlier than the pandemic, behind solely Iceland and Spain amongst OECD members.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Modifying by Angus MacSwan)

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  A vacationer dressed up for St Patrick's Day exterior Temple Bar in Dublin metropolis centre, Tuesday March 17, 2020. (AP Picture/Peter Morrison)