Clérigos Tower lit up in green to honour Ireland’s foremost patron Saint

Today, 17th March, the Saint Patron of Ireland is celebrated and all across the world several tributes are paid to honour Saint Patrick. Porto is no different and the Clérigos Tower will lit in green to pay the homage to the foremost patron saint of Ireland. The green, one of the colours of the Irish flag, symbolises the Irish nationalism; the other colour of the Irish flag are the orange, symbolizing the Orangemen of the North and the white, which symbolizes peace.

This initiative is promoted by the Turismo do Porto e Norte de Portugal (TPNP) and extends to other monuments in the Northern Region, namely the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, in Braga, the Castle of Bragança, and the Pedestrian Bridge in Régua. The Feast of Saint Patrick is a cultural and religious celebration that is traditionally held on 17 March, the day Saint Patrick died.

“The Turismo do Porto e Norte will join this initiative [to mark Saint Patrick’s Day], especially since the Irish are a friendly people of the region. Ireland is in our Top 10 as regards international markets, and in 2019 it registered a 35.6% growth in overnights. This year, more than ever, these tokens of friendship help us keep the bond that unite us”, enhanced the President of TPNP, Luís Pedro Martins, cited in a news release.

These four monuments represent each of the four main destinations within the Northern Region. Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is already an 11 year old tradition, jointly held by Turismo de Portugal and the Tourism of Ireland.