Dublin hosts cracking Chinese new year festival

Musical performances, cooking demonstrations, literary readings, film screenings and children’s workshops mark this week’s 2021 Dublin Chinese Lunar New Year festival which kicked off on Tuesday.

The festival runs until Sunday, February 14th, and is now in its 13th year in Dublin.

There are more than 30 online events scheduled in the coming days to mark the year of the Ox, the second symbol in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle.

Festival co-ordinator Muireann O’Sullivansaid members of the advisory panel felt the event “had to go ahead” despite Covid restrictions.

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“Last year we had 118 events across two weeks. But this year we’ve still got 35 online events which is testament to the community involvement. It’s also incredible to see the level of interest from people in Dublin, it was all the more reason to make it happen during this tricky time,” said Ms O’Sullivan.

She expressed hope that the varied programme, which includes a workshop on how to bring Feng Shui into your home and a special edition of the Three Castles Burning Dublin history podcast, would attract people from of all ages and backgrounds countrywide.

“We’ve got Donal Fallon talking about Parnell Street and Moore Street on his podcast and migration in general; how those communities have been shaped by people from all different backgrounds.”

In a time when anti-immigrant rhetoric is rising globally, a festival celebrating Chinese history and culture is “more important than ever”, added Ms O’Sullivan. The festival’s objective is to develop understanding of the east Asian-Irish relationship, she said.

‘My parents are Chinese’

Festival advisory committee member Eva Pau said celebration of Chinese culture is important to parents of Chinese background eager to pass on their traditions to the next generation. “I grew up in Dublin all my life but both my parents are Chinese so it’s really important to mark the Chinese new year, it’s like Christmas for us.”

Ms Pau added that the festival not only celebrates Chinese culture but also other Asian cultures including Vietnamese, Malaysian and Korean traditions.

This year’s event will be marked by well-known buildings across the capital being lit in red from Thursday.

Meanwhile, Dublin’s Hill Street Family Resource Centre is also running Chinese New Year festivities online in partnership with the North Inner City Initiative over the coming fortnight with a series of family-friendly events and workshops taking place between February 12th and February 26th. Families from the resource centre have joined together to organise a series of activities from food and drama to Tai Chi, calligraphy and storytelling.

Now in its seventh year, project manager at the resource centre Eileen Smith said the Hill Street festivities had helped to shine a light on the voluntary work of the local community while celebrating the “rich diversity of people living in the North East Inner City”.

Lord Mayor Hazel Chu also commended the resource centre’s series of events, noting that the organisation was “a great example of how we, as a society, can support the social development, integration and leadership skills of Chinese families living in North East Inner City and learn from, embrace and value diversity”.

For a full list of Dublin Chinese Lunar New Year festival events hereand for information on the Hill Street Family Resource Centre events click here.

This article was amended on February 11th to clarify between the Dublin Chinese Lunar New Year festival and the Hill Street Family Resource Centre events.