Despite worldwide disruption to St Patrick’s Day amid the COVID-19 Coronavirus crisis, University of Limerick is still virtually celebrating the spirit of the day with a stunning new video.
With many millions of people across the world unable to attend St Patrick’s Day parades, UL has released a video that marks the occasion in a digital sense.
The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and the International Education Division at UL have collaborated with international and Irish students to mark St Patrick’s Day with a beautiful rendition of the song ‘Mo Ghile Mear’, in a video that celebrates the global nature of Irish culture, music and spirit.
Mexican composer Oscar Mascarenas, a lecturer at the Irish World Academy, arranged the Irish traditional song, which is performed by international vocalists singing as Gaeilge.
Filmed at UL, which recently won the award for Best Student Campus in Ireland for the second year running, the video celebrates the music and culture that connects us – and on the one day, March 17, that we are all connected.
“With everything that is happening across the world right now, it is more important than ever to focus on what connects us, like culture, music and spirit. On March 17, we are all connected, we are all Irish,” said Dr Sandra Joyce, Director of the Irish World Academy at UL.
“The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance is delighted to work with the International Education Division to celebrate the diversity of the UL campus community in this musical arrangement of an Irish language song for St Patrick’s Day.
“The Academy has graduated students from over 50 countries and we are very proud of our global community. We are also pleased to present an Irish language song which is such an important part of the Irish tradition, Mo Ghile Mear – this was selected and arranged by our colleague from Mexico, Dr Oscar Mascarenas.
“All soloists and instrumentalists are from outside of Ireland, from countries such as the US, Mexico, China, Ghana and Estonia. They work very well with our talented choir of undergraduate singers from Ireland.
“We wish everyone a very happy St Patrick’s Day and hope you enjoy this snapshot of our beautiful campus and talented students,” she added.