Embassy “Paskong Pinoy” Christmas Light Display Now On   The annual Christmas light display at the Embassy is now on.  Three month-old Filipino-Irish baby Kyna Anne Arenas McCarthy joined Minister and Consul General Joy Quintana of the Embassy in switching on the light display today (01 December 2011) which features the unique Pampanga lanterns courtesy of San Fernando City and the words "Maligayang Pasko” (Merry Christmas). The light display has been drawing the attention of St. Stephen's Green’s passers-by for 2 years now.

VIP GUESTS VISIT PHILIPPINE EMBASSY STAND
AT DIPLOMATIC CHARITY BAZAAR IN DUBLIN

Member of Irish Parliament, Deputy Eric Byrne , and Filipino-Irish Grand winner of the Rose of Tralee 2011, Ms. Tara Talbot, were among the VIPs who visited the Philippine stand at the International Charity Bazaar (ICB) 2011, an annual fundraising event of the Diplomatic Corps in Dublin held on 13 November 2011, at the Burlington Hotel.  More than 50 Dublin-based embassies showcased exotic  food and products to raise funds in support of Irish charities.  The bazaar was able to raise €40,000 last year.

The Philippine stand received positive feedbacks from a number of spectators.

PHL Embassy Congratulate Ballet Manila's Successfull Tour In Ireland

Philippine Ambassador to Ireland Ariel Y. Abadilla congratulated the 19-member Ballet Manila and its prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde For the group’s successful maiden tour in Ireland dubbed “Philippine Ballet Gala Concert - East Meets West”. 

“You are a great ambassador for Philippine culture and the arts,” Ambassador Abadilla told Ms. Macuja-Elizalde after the Dublin finale that drew a standing ovation from the audience which included two Irish cabinet ministers and several Irish government and business personalities.

The shows in Ireland were produced by Ms. Teresa Adaya-Meaney, a Filipina businesswoman in Dublin, and her Detail Design Production and were aimed at raising the profile of the Filipino community in Ireland by showcasing the talent and world-class artistry of Filipinos.

The Ambassador was very pleased with the media reviews and the reaction of the predominantly Irish audience who were all praise for the grace and skills of the dancers and the uniqueness of the show.

Filipinos in the audience were also visibly touched by the nationalistic elements in the repertoire.  “The show made us so proud to be Filipinos,” quipped a long-time Filipino resident in Ireland.

In his message, Irish Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar said that “…as well as giving Irish people the opportunity to see an innovative and famous ballet company, this is also an opportunity for Ireland to showcase some of our key concert halls with performances taking place in the National Convention Centre Dublin, the Cork Opera House, the University of Limerick Concert Hall.”

A fourth performance was held at the Millennium Forum in Derry in Northern Ireland.

The highlight of the tour was the performance at the new and iconic Convention Centre in Dublin which was attended by high-level Irish officials, including Minister for the Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald, members of Parliament Eric Byrne and Marcela Corcoran Kennedy, and Deputy Lord Mayor Maria Parodi. In his message, Ambassador Abadilla said that “the performances in the major cities of Dublin, Limerick, and Cork, assume greater significance as they dovetail with the celebration of the second anniversary of the opening of a Philippine resident Embassy in Ireland that adds to the further strengthening, among others, of Philippine-Irish cultural relations.

The scale and calibre of Ballet Manila’s Ireland tour is not only a pioneering showcase of the best in Philippine performing arts but it also did well in fostering goodwill between our two peoples.” he added. END

Rizal's 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrated in Ireland
Through His Beloved Irish Lady

The Philippine Embassy in Dublin marked the 150th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Jose P. Rizal by hosting three public performances of “Tu Dulce Extranjera.”, a play specially developed by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Irish audiences and the Filipino community in Ireland were visibly captivated by the dramatic monologue performance of Shamaine Centenera- Buencamino in her portrayal of Josephine Bracken, the Irish lady immortalized  by Rizal as his "dulce extranjera" in his Mi Ultimo Adios. Many in the Filipino community said they had vague recollections about who was Josephine but that now they appreciate her significance in Rizal's life. The Irish audience, previously unaware of the "Irish connection" to Philippine history and the country's National hero, were delighted to know about this special link. “The monodrama was very well executed, the story an intriguing insight into Philippine history & folklore” was one of many comments received by the Embassy from Irish viewers. The monodrama and the Rizal-Josephine relationship was also the subject of the entire column “An Irishman’s Diary” by Frank McNally in the 11 June 2011 issue of The Irish Times newspaper.

Several thousand kababayans and their Irish friends watched the play in Dublin during the Philippine Day celebration by the Filipino community. Another presentation was staged for the diplomatic corps and Irish government functionaries during the Embassy’s Independence Day reception. The signature staging of the play was before an enthralled full-house audience at the Birr Theatre and Arts Centre in County Offaly, the ancestral district of the Brackens. Seated in the audience was Josephine’s great grandnephew Francis Bracken and several others who had Brackens in their family tree. The parliamentary representative of the district, Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy thanked Philippine Ambassador Ariel Abadilla for making Josephine known to her County Offaly town mates and assured him of full support in the Embassy’s endeavors to further promote Philippine-Irish relations.
              
The NCCA-commissioned production team for the play “Tu Dulce Extranjera” is composed of Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino (in the role of Josephine), Layeta Bucoy (playwright) and Armando “Tuxq”  Rutaquio (director).  END

PHOTO RELEASE

A Community Mass was held at the Blessed Sacrament on 27 February 2011 to Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. The mass was officiated by Fr. Rene Esoy and attended by members of the Filipino Community.

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The Philippine Embassy in Dublin concluded its inaugural week celebration (dubbed “Philippine Week”) with the launching on 02 December 2010 of an art exhibit featuring foremost Filipino artists Manuel Baldemor, Pierre Patricio, and Marvin Baldemor.

The Embassy was turned into a virtual art gallery with about sixty (60) paintings on exhibit covering the themes “Ireland in the Eyes of Filipino Artists” and “Images of the Homeland.”  The opening night was attended by guests from the Irish business and cultural communities.

The exhibit will run until 02 January 2011.

On the same occasion, the Embassy switched on its Christmas lights display showcasing the unique Pampanga lanterns courtesy of the City Government of San Fernando under the leadership of Mayor Oscar Rodriguez.  The words "Maligayang Pasko" were formed using Christmas lights as an outdoor display that can be seen from the streets.