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| ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN LONDON |
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CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN LONDON! Irish culture celebrated with activities across the capital of London for St. Patrick's Day As part of London's activities to mark St Patrick's Day, a series of events highlighting Irish culture is taking place across London, including plays and musical performances, films and exhibitions, the Irish Bookfair, and walking tours. Backed by the Mayor of London, there are events across the capital and runs from 6-17 March 2008, with additional activities outside those dates.
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: 'London boasts one of the largest Irish communities outside of Ireland and St Patrick's Day Festival Week events are an opportunity for all Londoners to experience the breadth of Irish culture and what it has brought to this city. These events underline the contribution that Irish community has made to London's artistic as well as social life and, with historic walking tours, an Irish film festival, live music performances, and art exhibitions, there should be something of interest to everyone.'  From Thursday 6 to Monday 17 March, the Irish Cultural Center Hammersmith has a programme that includes music concerts, comedy, film, dance and story telling. Performers include comedian Niall Toibin from 'Ballykissangel', Tommy Peoples and The Mullin Family Band, The Dublin City Working Man's Band and The Incredible String Band's Robin Williamson, who will perform a Celtic musical homage to the poet William Blake. The center is also hosting Culture Bites at City Hall on Wednesday 12 March, with Irish storytelling, music, dance, poetry and humor. The center is also hosting the popular Irish Book Fair (Saturday 8 March) with appearances from two of Ireland's best selling authors, Maire Jones and Roisin McAuley. This annual event is a favorite for book lovers and as well as promoting a range of Irish books runs there is an exciting programme of talks and readings from Ireland’s best writers. The London Irish Symphony Orchestra, the only ensemble in the UK working solely to promote classical music of Irish origin, is performing Seán Ó Riada’s stirring score to the iconic Irish language film Mise Éire the London Irish Centre in Camden, conducted by Marion Wood (7 March 2008). They are also performing a concert for the Irish Women's Center at St Paul's Knightsbridge (11 March), featuring world premieres of Graeme Stewart's Goblin Market and Jonathan Lee's Choreography for Orchestra. The orchestra is also appearing at City Hall with Mise Éire: The Music of Seán Ó Riada featuring a new arrangement of his music, former LISO Principal Oboe Eimear Saunders as a soloist and the chamber orchestra conducted by Nick Newland (13 March). The London Irish Centre in Camden is putting on a rehearsed reading of 'The Little English Girl', a new play by Belfast playwright Laurence McDonald, about a young woman who returns to her family home in Belfast after being sent to England as a little girl to escape 'the troubles' (Monday 10 March). The Irish Centre also hosts a free concert featuring singer-songwriters. Gary Dunne and John Myers, performing tracks from their upcoming releases (Tuesday 11 March). The Broadway Studio Theatre, Catford is staging 'Money from America', written by Tom O'Brien and directed by Jillian Wallis, which centers round the return of Jack Carey from America to stake a claim on his home farm and the investigation into his subsequent murder (11-20 March). For film buffs there is the Irish Film Festival, which includes screenings at the Tricycle Cinema, Prince Charles Theatre, Barbican and the London Irish Centre (13-16 March). Films include the British premiere of the 'Kings', directed by Tom Collins, the first Irish language film to be nominated for an Oscar, which is having gala charity screening in aid of the Aisling project on Friday 14 March. City Hall is hosting 'Encountering The Future', an exhibition by artist Bernard Canavan, well known for his paintings of Irish emigrant life (12-22 March 12-22) and the Barbara Stanley Gallery in Putney has an exhibition of contemporary Irish Art and Sculpture opening on 11 March. For people interested in exploring history there are Blue Badge Walks and a National Portrait Gallery Walk, looking at the historic and influential figures such as Yeats, Wolf Tone, Charles Stuart Parnell, Oscar Wilde, Oliver Goldsmith, Michael Collins and George Bernard Shaw (15,16, 17 March). The Barbican Centre is hosting the annual Metropolitan Police Concert, which this year includes Pipes & Drums from the Irish Police Association the Emerald Society and child dancers performing Riverdance. The Metropolitan Police Service Male Voice Choir with Choir Soloist Chike Akwarandu, the Essex Police Band and Guest Soloist Katy Bingham-Best are also performing (17 March). The highlight in the annual season celebrating Irish culture and the contribution of Irish people to the life of London is the annual St Patrick's Day Parade and Festival, with the parade through central London and free festival in Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Covent Garden (Sunday 16 March). Many events during the St Patrick's Day Festival Week are free, but people are advised to check with the relevant organization for details, including timings and costs. ST PATRICK'S DAY – LONDON PARADE & FESTIVAL 
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