04 November 2021
In conjunction with Dublin City Council, Ireland-India Council has been organising a civic celebration of Diwali since 2009. We are back to celebrate our first physical event on 04 November 2021.
H. E. Mr Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Ceann Comhairle said: “I am delighted to attend the Celebration of Diwali-Festival of Lights today. Diwali marks the start of the Hindu New Year and although it is a time of reflection on the many legends associated with this annual celebration, it is also about a community of people celebrating together. An occasion which allows time for fun with family and friends and celebrates the very best of Irish Indian contemporary culture, jointly by Irish and Indian people. May this special celebration be enjoyed in a safe and healthy way.”
Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland, said on Diwali: “Diwali symbolises the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance”. A celebration like Diwali helps restore our hope, our resilience and power to continue to dig deeper until we will put this pandemic behind us. Diwali also helps bring communities together, build bridges across cultures and traditions, and to promote the wonderful diversity of faith, beliefs and culture which so enriches our community and society.”
Chairman of Ireland India Council, Prashant Shukla, asked employers to allow time off on Diwali for workers from India wishing to celebrate Diwali – the festival of light. Diwali is the equivalent of Christmas in India, celebrated by many different cultures and religions in Asia.
There are around 45,000 people from India in Ireland celebrating the main day of the Diwali festival today.
However, Prashant Shukla of the Ireland India Council said many Indian people here find it hard to get time off work to celebrate their most important day in the year.
He has asked Irish employers to be more accommodating and said that Indian people should offer to work over Christmas in return.
Sincere thanks to everyone who attended our civic celebration of Diwali last week in Dublin’s City Hall. It is a pleasure to have H. E. Mr Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Ceann Comhairle, H. E. Akhilesh Mishra, Ambassador (designate), Cllr. Racheal Batten deputised the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mayor Cllr. Peter Kavanagh, Cathaoirleach Cllr. Lettie McCarthy, among others, to help us light the Diyas (candle) during the festivity week. May the light always shine over darkness.
Huge thanks to Subhashini Goda, James Peppard and Deepesh Nair for their incredible performances and Johnny Holmes for anchoring the event.
Thanks to the Dublin City Council, Embassy of India, Bank of Ireland, Crowley Millar for their support.
Diwali celebration encourages dialogue, and it helps to form connections with people and communities. Most importantly, it reminds us of Rama Rajya’s ideal governance where all people was happy, healthy and prosperous.
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Virtual Celebration
13-16 November 2020
In conjunction with Dublin City Council, Ireland-India Council has been organising a civic celebration of Diwali since 2009. Due to the COVID-19 challenging time, we are celebrating it virtually from Friday 13-November to Monday16 November 2020.
Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ms Hazel Chu, in Councillor Donna Cooney’s presence and prominent members of the Irish-Indian community, opened a four-day-long celebration on Friday 13th November via a video link.
Speaking on this occasion, Lord Mayor of Dublin said: “I am delighted to be part of this year’s celebration in Ireland of the Diwali Festival of Lights hosted by Ireland-India Council in conjunction with Dublin City Council. Diwali is one of the most popular festivals of the Indian subcontinent similar to Christmas that symbolises the ‘victory of light over darkness-good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. The cultural and economic links between Ireland and India continue and the work of the Council has played an important role in strengthening our ties. I hope the event is hugely successful.”
Speaking at the celebration, Chair North Central Area Committee, Councillor Donna Cooney, said: “I’m delighted to be attending the opening of Diwali Festival of Light again this year and even though we can’t be together physically this year I’m very pleased that Ireland India Council has organised this most important festival to be celebrated online. In these difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to celebrate the victory of light over darkness. I’m also very honoured to be lighting a lamp in acknowledgement of our front-line workers, who’s bravery and diligence has been a shining light through these darkened times”.
Chairman of Ireland India Council, Prashant Shukla, said: “The vital part of this year’s celebration is to felicitate and deliver a message for peace, prosperity and health to our communities and front line heroes (Teachers, Health Care Workers and An Garda Siochana)”.
The event consists of various dance and music presentations. Well-known personalities are invited to participate virtually. We believe it will make a good cultural presentation to lift the participant’s spirit and mood.
The live event would be available to watch at our website https://indiairelandcouncil.ie/diwali/
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