ARGENTINA:BUENOS AIRES was host to Latin America's largest St Patrick's Day celebration with an all-night street party in the city centre – what has become known as Dia de la Cervezaor "Beer Day".
However, numbers fell short of the 50,000-strong figures of previous years due to increased police presence in the area, added alcohol checkpoints as well as inflated cover charges by bars in the area for the night.
Those who did not attend in person could participate virtually as some bars transmitted live internet podcasts of their Irish music shows.
The residence of the Irish Ambassador to Argentina in Buenos Aires began festivities with a reception for 400 Irish-Argentines featuring traditional Irish food, drinks and music.
In the absence of Irish ministerial representation at the city’s celebrations, Philomena Murnaghan, Ireland’s Ambassador to Argentina, gave the function’s keynote speech.
She spoke of the modern trade ties that exist between Ireland and Argentina and of the success of the bilateral working holiday agreement which was announced on St Patrick’s Day last year and now has over 100 applicants. Under the scheme, young Irish people can live and work for extended periods in Argentina and young Argentines can do the same in Ireland.
Members of the country’s foremost Irish associations led a small, hour-long procession through Buenos Aires city centre accompanied by Irish music, local Irish dancers and 140 two-metre-tall Buddy Bears, organised by the office of the governor of Buenos Aires, with the aim of preaching fraternity and peace among all races.
Older members of the Irish-Argentine community celebrated the centenary of O’Brien City, situated in Greater Buenos Aires and founded in 1909 by Irish emigrants Edward O’Brien Callaghan and Jane Bowen.
A monument launching a historical account of the city’s origins was erected and a tree was planted in honour of the city’s founders.
Admiral William Brown, known as “The Father of the Argentine Navy”, born in Foxford, Co Mayo, was not overlooked either.
The Federation of Irish-Argentine societies laid a wreath on his Buenos Aires monument in celebration of his crucial role in the formation of the Republic of Argentina and his position as one of history’s most prominent Irish-Argentine figures.