Miriam to ring in New Year as The Gathering kicks off By
Teresa Gallagher
PRIME Time presenter Miriam O'Callaghan will set off on a busy city tour to ring in the New Year on RTE. In a major outside broadcast by the station, tied in with The Gathering, Miriam will welcome in 2013 from locations around the capital, including Christchurch. RTE is still putting the finishing touches to the New Year's Eve broadcast which will include links to other locations around the city, as well as chat with a studio of invited guests. At the same time city officials will host a massive street concert NYE Dublin 2013 will feature a torchlight procession through the streets of Dublin finishing up at Stephen's Green where a fireworks display will be held. The procession will feature floats torch bearers, fire breathers, stilt walkers and dancers, and people are invited to join the parade carrying candles, lanterns or torches. The highlight of the festival will be an open-ai Countdown Concert on College Green which is expected to attract around 15,000 people. Bad weather hampered last year's concert with just 5,000 people turning out to see headline acts including Damien Dempsey and The Coronas. Speaking to the Herald, Dublin's Lord Mayor Naoise O Muiri said he expected the event to attract greater numbers than last year even though good weather could not be guaranteed. "Last year was a great success and we are hoping to build on that. It is the
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launch ofThe Gathering as well which will attract people from all over the world," he said. Labour Cllr Dermot Lacey expressed a determination to keep the
party on track no matter what the weather, adding: "If you worried about bad weather in
Ireland you'd never
organise anything." Cllr Bill Tormey said the only thing that might affect the New Year's Festival would be a big freeze and heavy snow. "As long as people can drive and get
about celebrations will go ahead. Wet weather is not going to affect the New Year's festival." Failte Ireland CEO Shaun Quinn said the festival will be important for promoting The Gathering 2013 around the world. "This New Year's Eve, we will officially fire the starting gun for The Gathering 2013 with a bang and lots of colour, fireworks and festivity,"he said. "Next year is our year and hopefully the global spotlight which traditionally marks yearend in cities such as London and New York will shine a bit brighter on Dublin as we kick-start twelve months of non-stop activity and set a marker for the year ahead.
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