Post date: Mar 16, 2013 12:24:9 PM
Irish president opens official residence for St. Patrick's celebration
China Central Television (CCTV) - Ireland's President Michael Higgins has opened his official residence in Dublin to famous guests in honor of St. Patrick's Day.
"It's great way of bringing the Irish into the house of the Irish president," President Higgins told CCTV Friday in an exclusive interview at his residence, Aras an Uachtarain."It shows the significance of the word "glaoch", glaoch is an ancient Old Irish word for call. So it's the idea of the President making a call to those who have achieved excellence to come and play for all the Irish everywhere at home and abroad," he added.
St. Patrick's Day, celebrated by some 70 million people around the world, usually involves public parades, Gaelic folk music performances, and wearing green attire or shamrocks.
Earlier this year, prominent Irish artists, including musicians Bono, Christy Moore,Imelda May and poet Seamus Heaney, were invited to the president's residence for a special St. Patrick's Day TV program.
Filmed over four days, the program includes the president's personal involvement.
"I have to say that I was astounded at the speed and the generosity of the response. Everyone said yes and therefore I am in the position to say that if I find that this is successful and the reception to it is positive, as I am certain it will be, eell then we may consider doing similar events in the future from Aras an Uchtarain," President Higgins said.
The program is in part a special message of support to Irish people worldwide in a time of economic downturn, he added.
He said, "I very much realize that we are coming out of a period that is very difficult for many families in Ireland, and I want to emphasize that putting together the program I am making, it was as if it were a message to them."
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