00:00St. Patrick's Day is one of the biggest events in Birmingham's cultural calendar, and in
00:06the Irish Quarter, it's more than just a party. Local venues have had to pull together to
00:11keep the celebrations going without the parade, and that takes planning, coordination and
00:16passion. But these events aren't just about logistics, they mean something to the people
00:21organising them, the entertainers bringing the energy, and the crowds who turn out to
00:26celebrate their heritage. So what does it take to bring St. Patrick's Day to life here
00:32in Birmingham?
00:33You know, we spend all year being an Irish pub, Digbeth is the Irish Quarter, and this
00:37is our special day. So we've been working on it all year. Every time you book a band
00:42you go, these would be great for St. Patrick's. Every time you see something in someone else's
00:45pub you go, I'm nicking that idea. And so it's a culmination of all the bands, all the
00:49ideas we've been borrowing off other people and bringing together. It's showtime for us
00:54here.
00:56For Birmingham's Irish community, St. Patrick's Day is about more than just music and stouts.
01:01It's a chance to come together, celebrate heritage and share traditions that have been
01:05passed down through generations. The Irish influence in this city runs deep, and while
01:10the parade isn't happening, the celebrations carry a lot of meaning for the people taking
01:15part. Whether they've been coming here for years, or it's their first time, the connection
01:20to Irish culture is clear. But what does St. Patrick's Day in Birmingham mean to the
01:26people celebrating it?
01:28Well, it's celebrating the heritage, the Irish heritage, and the history that the Irish community
01:37has played such a massive part in building Birmingham, or the whole country up to where
01:42it is now.
01:43I'd say it's to celebrate our heritage and our culture. So our family are from Holyland,
01:48and we just find it really important to celebrate and remember our roots and our heritage.
01:54I think there's a lot of Irish people that live in Birmingham. So my family came from
01:59Ireland. My nan came, so we have a lot of family here, and I think a lot of people do.
02:04So it's like, I don't know, I think people come here with their families. I come here
02:10with my mum, so yeah.
02:12I think the most important part is the parade, and going out and mixing with the general
02:17people, the locals and that, and they're all loving it. And they come from all over, basically.
02:23It's probably the second, third biggest in the world. So it brings a lot of people together.
02:28So it's a big thing, and it's missed.
02:30Well, for the last couple of St. Patrick's Day, we're never really in Ireland, which
02:33is kind of crazy. But it's so nice to get to come over to the UK, and it's so nice to
02:39see how the music travels, like the Irish music.
02:41It's that day in the year when everyone gets together. You bump into people that you haven't
02:45seen in ages, and everyone gets together, and it has a bit of an ease up. But it's nice
02:49to remember where we've all come from. I've got Irish heritage. My grandparents came to
02:54this country and made a better life for themselves and for other people.
Comments