‘Over a billion eyeballs will be on the parade’: St Patrick’s festival CEO Richard Tierney

Plus, Fiona Reddan on her new series How to Invest

Listen | 40:38
The St Patricks Day Festival starts this Saturday March 14th and is expected to attract over 120,000 inbound visitors.  Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
The St Patricks Day Festival starts this Saturday March 14th and is expected to attract over 120,000 inbound visitors. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times

First up on this week’s Inside Business is St Patrick’s Day. It’s just six days away but the festival itself is a four-day affair this year and will begin on Saturday.

The man in charge of this major annual undertaking is Richard Tierney, chief executive of the St Patrick’s Day festival. He joined host Ciarán Hancock in studio to discuss year-long preparations that went into the 2026 festival, what it means for the economy and the part it plays in kicking off Ireland’s tourism season.

Earlier this week, The Irish Times began an 8-week series on how to invest. Fiona Reddan is the author of the series, and she joined Ciarán in studio to discuss the thesis behind the series and the various that she will cover.

She began with a piece on how Irish people are leaving up to €172 billion on deposit with the banks, earning little or no interest.

Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.

OUR PODCASTS