WITH THE year of the rabbit fast approaching, the lord mayor of Dublin has announced details of the city’s Chinese New Year Festival for 2011.
In its fourth year, the festival will host a variety of activities from February 1st to 14th, including a carnival, a circus, workshops, lectures and for the first time, a Chinese film festival.
Committee member Amy-Yin Zhang said such celebrations were important for developing relations between Chinese and Irish people.
“By having a Dublin Chinese new year’s festival in Ireland, it is a great comfort for all the Chinese people to gather together, to make them feel at home and it also gives them an opportunity to celebrate,” she said, “but more so for Irish people to learn about Chinese culture and build the two communities closer together.”
Ms Zhang, who was born in Shanghai but has lived in Ireland for the past 12 years, said she was excited about the latest introduction to the calendar of events.
“This year is special because we are introducing the very first Chinese Dublin Film Festival.” They planned to bring 12 Chinese films, “different types so hopefully one for everybody”.
Most notable of which will be the world premiere of Blood Bath, at which its director, Stephen Shin, will be a special guest.
“A lot of Irish people might not know the movie but they definitely know the star of the movie, it is Li Gong who is also starring in Miami Vice [2006] alongside Colin Farrell,” she said.
Another highlight of the festival will be the carnival on Saturday, February 5th. This will include authentic Chinese performances with dragon and lion dances, tai chi and martial arts displays, traditional and contemporary Chinese music and a Chinese rock band.
Lord Mayor Gerry Breen said the festival had taken on an increased importance this year because of the developing relationship between the countries two capital cities.
“We have the offer from Beijing to twin [with Dublin]. We have a draft agreement and that was delivered to me yesterday [on Wednesday] morning,” Mr Breen said.
This year will be the year of the rabbit in the Chinese calendar. People born in the year of the rabbit are supposedly kind and loving and dislike any hostility.
Famous Irish people who were born in the year of the rabbit (which is every 12 years) include Enda Kenny, Seamus Heaney, Conor Lenihan, Des Bishop, Mary McAleese and Bertie Ahern.
Details of the festival can be found at dublincity.ie/cny