Five-day Chinese festival begins in Dublin

More than 127,000 visitors are this week expected to pass beneath the red and gold paper lanterns of the National Museum at Collin's Barracks to enter "Chinatown" in celebration of the Chinese new year.

The five-day Dublin Chinatown Festival and celebrations to mark the Year of the Rooster kicked off yesterday with a pageant of music and dance, a street market with over 50 food and craft stalls, children's workshops, cultural seminars and a film festival.

The first day of the new year, the most important date in the Chinese lunar calendar, was heralded by performances from the Red Poppy Ladies Percussion troupe, traditional dragon and lion dances from the Hong Kong Dragon-Style Kung Fu troupe and a recital by musicians from the Liaoning troupe.

The true fusion of Chinese and Irish culture came with the food. The Wan Kee Traditional Fresh Fishball and New Millennium Dumpling stands sat alongside traditional Irish burger and hot-dog vans, both keeping the festival-goers well supplied with chicken balls and curry chips.

Inside the museum, children were busy with kite-making, calligraphy and paper-folding workshops. More workshops will be held later this week in lantern, mask and jewellery making.

Among the thousands of schoolchildren enjoying the opening day were six-year-olds Gráinne Blair and Shannon Clark from Georges Hill Presentation Primary School, Capel Street. Gráinne's future holiday plans include a trip to China: "It's a bit far but I have a globe so I know how to get there."

The "Asian Pavilion" in the museum's Palatine Room is hosting a photography exhibition by Chinese photographers, supported by the Chinese embassy. The photographs depict images of ancient and modern China, including a portrait of Yang Liwei, China's first man in space, the recent Sci-tech Expo in Beijing, and the terracotta warriors of the Qin Dynasty.

"These are pictures of the life of China, showing the historic culture of China and the normal lives of Chinese people. Through this we hope more Irish people will develop an interest in China," Mr Jiwei Tang of the Chinese embassy said.

Highlights from the film festival include the award-winning short film Yu Ming is Anim Dom and the Ang Lee martial arts blockbuster Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

Craft market stalls bring outdoor colour to the festival, selling all things Chinese including clothes, ornaments, lanterns, parasols, paintings, jewellery, new year decorations and tea.

Most of the stall-holders come from the 20,000-strong Chinese community living in Ireland, but some have travelled thousands of miles to join in the celebrations.

"We've come from Hong Kong to be part of the festival and to celebrate new year with our family here," said Mr Nicholas Chan, who is running a stall with his wife, Connie, selling traditional and modern Chinese clothes.