For the second consecutive year, Ireland did not hold its usual St. Patrick’s Day
celebrations. This means hundreds of events and parades had to be cancelled. This
precaution was part of the Level 5 restriction that the Irish government initiated to try to
curb the spike in the pandemic cases back in January.
Due to the popularity of the feast for the famous Irish martyr, these unfortunate
cancellations didn’t just happen in Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day celebrations being a global
event for a good while now, over fifty countries including Dubai, the United States, and
Australia was looking forward to turning emerald on the 17th of March. But because of
the pandemic, the majority of the countries had to rethink their plans.
Instead of holding physical gatherings, various organizers held virtual events so that
people were still able to participate in the safety of their homes and revive the holiday’s
traditions. Hundreds of musicians, creators, artists, and members of community
organizations are working together to prepare shows that were aired on the St. Patrick’s
Festival channel. A virtual parade was also presented by the organizers, in cooperation
with RTE, the Irish national broadcaster. Despite the more sombre tone of the
celebration, the broadcast was seen by more than 80 million people all over the world.
However, the virtual celebration was not the same. It does not come with the same
energy and joy that people experience in a typical St. Patrick’s Day celebration. This did
not just impact the spirit of the Irish people; it dealt a devastating blow to the country’s
economy.
Still reeling from the revenue loss of last year’s cancellation of events, the hospitality
and tourism industry of Ireland projected another €73 million loss this year. This blow
could mean the end for countless pubs and hotels all over the island. According to the
organizers of the five-day festival, Dublin alone likely lost about €50 million. These
businesses largely rely on the money brought in by over a hundred thousand overseas
guests, and without the income provided by this festival, those businesses suffered.
Some pubs that had to close due to the restrictions will most likely shut their doors
permanently. This is worrisome for the leaders of the trade, as they have already
witnessed the closure of around 7,000 establishments all over Ireland. Economists are
predicting massive layoffs, especially in the hotel and restaurant industry.
This loss extends to other countries as well. Boston’s Mayor, Marty Walsh, also had to
cancel the festivities that were planned for this year. The local government’s decision to
cancel the events as part of the desperate effort to halt the spread of the virus in the
city. Seattle and Los Angeles have also cancelled the parades that were scheduled
during that weekend.
How the events are normally celebrated around the world, according to Betway Casino:
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The celebration of St. Patrick’s Day is one of the biggest income-generating events of
the year. Americans were expected to spend over $6 billion during that weekend alone.
The pandemic has already put a strain on the revenues of bars and hotels. Many of the
business owners were hoping that their earnings from the festival would help them get
out of the hole. They are all still very hopeful. In fact, despite the pandemic, thousands
of revellers from New Jersey still attended the pre-festival bar crawl organized by
different businesses in the area.
And with the roll-out of the vaccination programs worldwide, everyone is hopeful that
next year’s celebrations will finally push through.
