DCU in Tokyo’s 19th St.Patrick’s Day Parade

19 March 2010

St. Patricks Day Parade

Current students and alumni of DCU got together in Tokyo to take part in the city’s 19th St. Patricks Day Parade on Sunday March 14th.  The event was also attended by the Minister of Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe, TD and the Ambassador of Ireland to Japan, Mr. Brendan Scannell. 

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade has been a fixture on the Tokyo Irish community’s calendar since 1992.  As in previous years, it drew large crowds of spectators to the Harajuku/Omotesando area of Tokyo.  Groups as diverse as Japanese university cheerleading squads, the US Army Japan Band, the Japan GAA club and more participated in the Parade.

The event was one of a series throughout Japan to raise the profile of Ireland in Japan at this time of year.  DCU was also represented at the the Study Abroad in Ireland Seminar which brought together members of the Japanese education industry and at which Minister O’Keeffe delivered a keynote speech.
DCU continues to deepen its engagement with Japan following the opening of its first Representative Office at Ireland House, Tokyo in August 2009.