St Patrick's Day in Norway & Iceland 2024
Oslo
This year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations got off to a wonderful start on Thursday 14 March with a well-attended lecture hosted by the Norwegian Maritime Museum at their event Vin og Vrak which looked at the recovery of artefacts from Cork ship, The Providentz, which sank off the Norwegian coast all the way back in 1721 and was only rediscovered in 2021.
On Friday evening 15 March, a St. Patrick’s Day Mass at St. Olav’s Cathedral for tea and cake and a chance to catch up before the busy weekend of celebrations with some impromptu music!
Saturday 16 March was the big day in Norway’s capital Oslo where the Norwegian Irish Society organised a wonderful parade, with a great turnout in spite of the snowy weather conditions in Oslo.
Ambassador Buckley addressed the crowd gathered at Universitetsplass along with Grand Marshalls Brendan Monaghan and Cecilie Stensrud and President of the Norwegian Irish Society, Sarah Hayden. The Mná Oslo Irish Choir provided an excellent musical accompaniment as well as enthusiastic dancing from the Sound Irish Dance Factory. Some Irish Wolfhounds even joined in!
Afterwards everyone enjoyed the warm stew and entertainment on offer at the Norwegian Irish Society’s Family Fleadh, an event which takes place every year thanks in part to Emigrant Support Programme funding.
Bergen
On Norway’s west coast, in slightly less snowy conditions, the Bergen Irish Society celebrated with a get together for families on Sunday 17 March which was followed by a short parade through the historic heart of Bergen’s cobbled streets.
Presidential Message from Iceland
Online, President of Iceland, H.E. Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, wished the people of Ireland and the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins “Best wishes from your cousins in Iceland” for St. Patrick’s Day!