March is turning out to be a jam-packed month, and for a full week the Irish are taking over – which doesn’t even include the few days following needed to nurse you back from your plight of ‘Irish Yoga.’ All jokes aside, Feile Shanghai, pronounced fay-le – the Irish word meaning festival, and also known as Ireland Week – is much more than a week-long party of shamrock beads, booze and buffoonery. Now in its eighth year, it promises a celebration of traditional sport, song, literature and more. Throughout the week both Irish and non-Irish alike can find an abundance of ways to get your green on:
March 14-21: Irish Wave Visual Art Exhibition
Fion Gunn curates this exhibition, to be displayed across two different venues. The exhibition, which explores the diversity and global aspect of ‘Irishness,’ will be curated by a team of Irish artists in collaboration with Chinese artists. For more info visit www.bigsmallartists.com
// Shanghai University Gallery, 99 Shangda Lu, by Nanchen Lu 上大路99号, 近南陈路
// Loftooo Art Space, Rm 105, Bldg 6, M50, 50 Moganshan Lu, by Changhua Lu 莫干山路50号6号楼105室, 近昌化路
March 8: GAA “Nations Cup” Gaelic Football tournament.
To kick-off the festivities, the GAA gather together for a rousing display of Irish sport. Teams of 12 players (3 experienced players provided by the Shanghai GAA) will compete in blitz style meaning there will be a minimum of four games per team spread throughout the afternoon. Training days will be held ahead of the match on Feb 22 and Mar 1. For more info visit shanghaigaelic.com or email Sarah Austin at sarahmdavis9@gmail.com.
// RMB600/team (RMB50/player), free to watch. 12-3pm, SRFC 2700 Zhangyang Bei Lu, by Wuzhou Da Dao 上海瑞可碧橄榄球俱乐部 张扬北路2700号
March 14: Traditional Irish Folk Music
Irish folk music group Altan will perform a collection of traditional Irish songs during this one-night-only concert. Regarded by many as a national treasure of Ireland, the band formed in County Donegal in 1987 and was the first traditional group to be signed by a major label when they signed with Virgin.
// 7.30pm. Shanghai Theater Academy, 630 Huashan Lu, by Changle Lu 华山路630号, 近长乐路 (6248 2920, www.ticket2010.com/default_en.aspx)
March 15: The Féile Shanghai Family Day (morning)
In recent years this family-fun outing has been held in Huaihai Park featuring marching bands from local international schools, live performances of traditional Irish music and dance and the children of the Irish community dressed in traditional Irish dress singing Irish folk songs and dancing traditional jigs and reels. But the explosion of Irish-ness doesn’t stop there. Life-sized leprechauns, wolfhounds and shamrocks, Irish-Chinese dragons, art installations, Irish sports displays, clowns on stilts, twisty balloons, face painting and much, much more.
//11am-1.30pm. Shanghai International Fashion Centre, 2866 Yangshupu Lu, by Neijiang Lu
The 10th Annual St Patrick’s Shanghai Charity Ball (evening)
Organized by the Shanghai Ireland Association, money raised goes towards a large number of local charities and always promises a smashingly-good soiree. Tickets are already sold out, but if you can find someone with extra table space, this is one belligerent bash you don’t want to miss.
// For more info visit www.stpatricksballshanghai.com
March 15: Shanghai International Literary Festival.
The Irish writer Deirdre Madden will read from her latest novels and visit local Universities to host creative writing workshops. For more on Madden, see our Shanghai International Literary Festival coverage.
// RMB75, 3pm. Glamour Bar, 5 on the Bund, 6/F, 20 Guangdong Lu, by Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu 广东路20号, 外滩五号6楼, 近中山东一路
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day.
The big day has arrived! Don something green and enjoy the craic. For a list of places to party, check out our events in the back of That’s Shanghai. Sláinte!
But hold onto your lucky charms for one hot potato of a minute, our Irish eyes – Irish fish-eyes that is – have already begun smiling and yours can too. Before the festivities begin, get out your camera and start snappin’ for the chance to win some cool cash. In conjunction with Feile Shanghai Ireland Week, we’re holding a photo competition where two winners – one under 18 and one over 18 – can claim RMB500 donated by Greenglas.com creative agency. Simply snap a pic that shows ‘Shanghai green and friendly’and submit it to win@urbanatomy.com with your name and full contact details by March 9. The best photos will be displayed during the week of events. For more info on the competition visit online.thatsmags.com/post/snap-happy-snap-green.
// Feile Irish Week runs Mar 8-17. It is directed by Eoin Murphy and partnered with the Irish Consulate of Shanghai with the cooperation of Culture Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Board Bia (The Irish food board) along with support from local Irish community organizations. For more information visit www.FeileShanghai.org.
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