OVER THE past week a growing number of Irish companies have been clambering to declare their participation in Earth Hour, which will see lights knocked off for an hour tomorrow night.

One of these was the Kildare Village shopping outlet, which opened in July 2006 to sell designer labels at discounted prices.

The Village’s backers rather lost the run of themselves in promoting its participation in the global green initiative this year.

“Kildare Village will stand in darkness for one hour this Saturday and join the growing number of iconic buildings across the globe that will be doing the same,” boomed the press release rather pompously.

It elevated itself to the same status as the Trevi Fountain, Eiffel Tower and Big Ben. It’s not even on a par with Henry Street.