The theme of this year’s St Patrick’s Festival will explore the concept of “home” and is expected to generate more than € 70 million for the Irish economy over the five days it spans next month. Lord Mayor of Dublin Mícheál Mac Donncha said the theme of “home” would involve “the exploration of my home, your home, our home”. More than 105,000 out-of-state visitors attended in 2016, spending an average of 8.8 days in Ireland, and 6.5 days in Dublin. During the 2015 festival, out-of-state visitors generated an estimated total expenditure of €73 million, including expenditure of €51.3 million in Dublin, and about €22 million elsewhere in the Republic. “For those of us living here or the Diaspora, home will forever be a part of us, and for this year’s festival we want to explore and celebrate what this means,” said Susan Kirby, St Patrick’s Festival chief executive.

Source: The Irish Times February 13, 2018 13:22 UTC