The great bagpipe master Carlos Núñez surprised the people of Madrid this morning at the Plaza de España metro station, delighting them with his music. His interpretation kicks off Ireland's week in the capital.
The Galician, accompanied by Irish dancers, performed live to the surprise of the suburban users who were at the station at that time. They did not hesitate to stop to watch the concert and get into the festive and hospitable spirit of Saint Patrick.
The mini concert was attended by Frank Smyth, Irish ambassador to Spain; Jorge Rodrigo Domínguez, Minister of Housing, Transport and Infrastructure of the Community of Madrid; Ignacio Vázquez, CEO of Metro de Madrid; and Susan Bolger, director of tourism for Ireland in Spain.
“Saint Patrick symbolizes Irish pride celebrated around the world. It has gone from being a religious holiday to becoming a tribute to culture, traditions and the Irish feeling. The celebration has managed to spread throughout the world and be celebrated not only by the Irish, but by all those who feel sympathy towards the island," explained Frank Smyth, Ambassador of Ireland in Spain.
During this week, Celtic sounds and dances will fill the lobbies and set the pace for transfers at the central stations of Ópera, Callao and Gran Vía, all belonging to line 5, the green line, the color of Ireland.
They will begin this afternoon, from 6 to 8 p.m., in Ópera; and will continue tomorrow and Thursday, from 6 to 8 p.m., in Callao; Friday at the same time on Gran Vía; and Saturday and Sunday also on Gran Vía, from 12 to 2 p.m.
During the week, in addition, the lights at the Gran Vía station will be green and the large screen that presides over the station lobby will show corners and landscapes of Ireland, thus bringing the Emerald Island closer to all Madrid residents and visitors who are in the area. zone.
In an event organized by the Embassy of Ireland at the Institute of Naval History and Culture of the Navy Barracks, the medium-length film Armada 1588. Naufragio y Survivencia was screened, which tells how Captain Francisco de Cuéllar managed to survive after being shipwrecked in front of the Sligo coast and being captured. The premiere was accompanied by a talk in which Micheál Ó Domhnaill, producer of the film, and Eddie O'Gorman, president of the Spanish Armada Ireland association, participated.
Ireland Week will last until Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, and includes tastings at the Peace Market, a literary evening with Spanish-based Irish writer Shane Tivenan, the St. Patrick's Day show at the Monumental, a concert by the Asturian piper Bras Rodrigo in the Sala Fitz, a date with Gaelic sport and the music and dance show by the Irish Treble group in the Sala Galileo. More information at www.semanadeirlanda.es.
The finale of the celebrations will take place on Saturday, St. Patrick's Eve, with a great parade that will leave at 4:30 p.m. from the Metrópolis building and will run along Madrid's Gran Vía until reaching the Plaza de España. This year it will bring together more than 500 pipers from all over Spain, almost doubling the number of the 2023 edition.
This St. Patrick's Day parade in Madrid is an initiative of Bras Rodrigo and the Corvera Bagpipe Band Foundation with the collaboration of Tourism Ireland and the Embassy of Ireland and the sponsorship of Guinness. The ambition of the organizers is to turn Madrid into one of the most important parades in the world, at the level of cities like New York, London or - of course - Dublin.
