What do Niagara Falls, the Pyramids of Egypt, Sydney Opera House, The London Eye, the Chicago River, The White House Fountain, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and The Kop all have in common?
The answer: all of the above are among 40 attractions across the world adopting an emerald hue for the weekend leading up to St Patrick’s Day.
Liverpool are said to be the only football club taking part in the celebration that has been organised by Tourism Ireland to coincide with March 17 and the annual celebrations the date guarantees.
Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, told JMU Journalism: “Our greening initiative is back for 2013 and looking at the buildings and famous monuments that are on-board and getting involved, it’s safe to say the project is bigger than ever for this St Patrick’s Day.
“Tourism Ireland are inviting people all across the world to join in our unique celebrations. We all know everyone likes to go out for a beer on the special day, but this initiative helps put smiles on even more faces across the globe and hopefully give Irish people a sense of being at home wherever they are in the world.”
The Kop turned green on Friday evening and will remain that way until the St Patrick’s Day celebrations cease on Sunday night.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, a native of Northern Ireland, told LiverpoolFC.com: “Coming from Northern Ireland means St Patrick’s Day is very close to my heart. We have a huge fanbase right across Ireland and it’s great to see our club being part of this weekend’s celebrations.”
Steven Thomas, manager at Belfast’s Liverpool FC Supporter’s Club, said: “It is a fantastic initiative from the Tourism Ireland people and it’s great for our club that Liverpool are the only football club in the world that are getting involved.
“It probably has a lot to do with the massive Irish fan base, and the fact that Brendan (Rodgers) is an Irishman himself. It’s just a shame that the travelling Irish fans won’t get to see it in all it’s glory because we are away to Southampton this weekend. That would have been special for everyone, not just those with Irish connections.”
The Albert Dock will also be projecting an emerald shade on Sunday after teaming up with the NSPCC and agreeing to display the charity’s colour as part of the St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Restaurants, bars and tourist attractions around the dock will be celebrating in style to help raise money for children and young people in the UK.