St Patrick’s Weekend celebrations at Belfast Cathedral

Monday March 11th 2024

St Patrick’s mosaic, Belfast Cathedral.

St Anne’s Cathedral is holding several special events for St Patrick’s Weekend and St Patrick’s Day as part of Belfast City Council’s St Patrick’s Festival Weekend.

On Friday March 15, Anúna will be performing in the Cathedral. Anúna is a vocal ensemble formed in Ireland in 1987 by Irish composer Michael McGlynn. The group has recorded 18 albums and achieved a high level of international success, including a significant role in Riverdance from 1994 to 1996.

On Saturday March 16, Young at Art will hold its Kiddie Céilí in the Cathedral Nave. Parents and little ones can enjoy all the fun of a Céilí, learning some classic Céilí dances and fun moves, with live traditional music. Find out more HERE.

On St Patrick’s Day, Sunday March 17 at 11am, the Cathedral will be the venue for a St Patrick’s Day Festal Choral Eucharist for the City of Belfast with the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev George Davison, as preacher.

Communion Setting is by Christopher Boodle, former Belfast Cathedral Organist, with the anthem Irish Blessing with music composed by the Cathedral’s Master of Music, Jack Wilson.

And at the conclusion of the Cathedral Quarter Festivities in Cathedral Gardens and Writers Square at 5.30pm on St Patrick’s Day, Evensong will be sung by the Cathedral Choir. This will be open to all who have attended the other events.

The anthem is John Rutter’s popular Clare Benediction, and the Organ Voluntary is Toccata by Belfast Composer Philip Hammond.

The Cathedral will also be open to visitors throughout the afternoon of St Patrick’s Day.