Dublin Lunar New Year
Welcome
Enjoy a warm welcome to Dublin Lunar New Year 2025 from President Michael D. Higgins, Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain, our wonderful Ambassadors and Embassy Representatives.
President Michael D. Higgins
I am delighted to send my warmest wishes to all those participating in the Dublin Lunar New Year festivities.
The arrival of the Year of the Snake – symbolising wisdom, transformation, and resilience – is a time for reflection, renewal, and hope, a time to honour the values of inclusivity, community and solidarity we hold dear, as we all strive to create a better world and a society built on fairness and equality.
May I take this opportunity to thank our East Asian community, and all those who join you in celebrating the Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, for the many ways in which you contribute so positively to our modern and evolving Irish nation, contributions that enrich our society and are a vital part of our shared journey toward a more inclusive and compassionate future.
May I wish you all a happy, peaceful and safe New Year, full of prosperity, joy, and harmony.
Michael D. Higgins
Uachtarán na hÉireann
President of Ireland
Lord Mayor Emma Blain
Lord Mayor of Dublin
I wish all those celebrating the Year of the Snake a joyous and memorable time – Bliain na Nathrach faoi mhaise Daoibh!
The Snake embodies many wonderful characteristics that we can live by as we begin this new year, representing symbols of rebirth, transformation and healing.
Those born under this sign are also known for their mysteriousness, wisdom, determination, and caring behaviour. They value knowledge and work hard to achieve goals, while forming deep bonds in relationships. They give tremendous sympathy for others and try to help those less fortunate, making Snakes the one of the most popular of the zodiacs.
Dublin Lunar New Year has celebrated Asian culture for the past 17 years with an array of creative events for all ages across the city. Through art, film, music and food we can explore and experience different cultures offering an incredible opportunity to be part of something positive and exciting in our capital city.
Gonchigkhand Byambaa
Festival Ambassador
I am deeply honoured to be nominated as Dublin Lunar New Year’s Ambassador. As a nomadic person, being invited to participate in this celebration is truly humbling.
The Lunar New Year, known as Tsagaan Sar, is the year’s most important celebration for Mongolians. It symbolizes a fresh start as we embrace the New Year and humbly ask Mother Nature for prosperity and harmony. It is a time to reflect, prepare for the unknown, and seek blessings for all living beings.
This year, we welcome the Year of the Snake, which embodies knowledge, beauty, and kindness.
Growing up, Tsagaan Sar was a magical time for me. On this special day, my family would pray to the Eternal Blue Sky for a swift and warm Spring. I remember waking up early, excited to get the gifts my mother had prepared and eagerly awaiting presents from my uncles and aunts. As the eldest of 14 siblings, my father welcomed all his brothers and sisters into our ger to honor and celebrate together. These gatherings were filled with warmth, respect, and unforgettable moments.
I hope this Lunar New Year becomes equally special for you and your loved ones. Let us use this time to come together, celebrate each other’s unique customs, and exchange heartfelt wishes for health, happiness, and prosperity in the year ahead.
Happy Tsagaan Sar!
May the year of the Snake bring you wisdom, beauty, and kindness.
Ambassador Yong-kil Kim
Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ireland
Happy Lunar New Year from the Korean Embassy in Ireland. Let me extend “míle buíochas” to Dublin City Council for their recognition of this wonderful celebration that strengthens cultural cooperation between Irish and Asian cultures.
In Korea, the Lunar New Year provides Koreans with precious time to gather with their loved ones to observe the beginning of the New Year together. It is marked by paying homage to our ancestors, playing games and eating well.
In 2025 we shall celebrate the year of the snake. While the snake may symbolise treachery in some cultures, in others it represents wisdom and intelligence. This reminds us that interpretations can vary across cultures. Dublin does this all year round, recognising that our diversity is our strength.
In that spirit, I wish everyone a peaceful, happy and inclusive Lunar year, and I hope that everyone enjoys the festivities as we celebrate the year of the Snake!
Ambassador Wan Aznainizam Yusri Wan Abdul Rashid
Embassy of Malaysia in Ireland
As we welcome the Year of the Snake, I extend my warmest wishes to the Chinese community in Ireland and to all who celebrate this festive occasion. I would also like to congratulate Dublin City Council for the Dublin Lunar New Year Festival 2025, an inspiring initiative that serves as a vibrant platform to honor the rich heritage of Asian culture while strengthening the bonds between the Asian and Irish communities.
The Year of the Snake, symbolising wisdom and transformation, aligns perfectly with our shared commitment to sustainability and innovation. May this year’s celebration bring abundant happiness, increased prosperity, and a renewed commitment to a sustainable and harmonious future.
I commend the festival’s dedication to fostering understanding and cultural exchange. It is through initiatives like this that we build stronger, more inclusive communities.
Wishing everyone a joyful and meaningful Lunar New Year filled with harmony and progress!
Xīn Nián Kuài Lè
Ambassador Zhao Xiyuan
Embassy of China in Ireland
The Chinese New Year Festival embodies Chinese people’s common aspirations for happiness, harmony, peace and prosperity. As a signature part of Chinese culture, the Spring Festival is one of the most important festivals practiced in China and around the world.
On December 4, 2024, UNESCO added “Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional New Year” to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Spring Festival helps to promote the common values of harmony and peace for all mankind and highlights the important role of intangible cultural heritage in sustainable development.
It is the 17th year that Dublin City Council has organized the Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, which provides a wonderful platform for all of us to celebrate and promote the Spring Festival. I believe that this year’s celebrations will further enhance mutual understanding and deepen the friendship between Irish and Chinese peoples.
The year 2025 is the Year of the Snake. The snake is considered to be a symbol of good luck, wisdom, elegance and wealth in Chinese culture. I wish you and your family good health, peace, joy, and all the best in the new year.
Ambassador Michelle Winthrop
Irish Embassy | Korea
On the occasion of 설날 (“Seollal”), I want to wish the Korean community in Ireland 새해 복 많이 받으세요! This year we welcome the Year of the Snake, which represents abundance. I wish each and every one of you an abundance of health, happiness and good fortune for the New Year. Thank you for your contribution to the ever deepening relationship between Ireland and Korea. I hope you enjoy the festivities together with friends and family in Ireland. 감사합니다!
Ambassador Nicholas O’Brien
Irish Embassy | China
Greetings from the Embassy of Ireland in Beijing.
I send my warmest greetings to everyone celebrating the Lunar New Year in Ireland, China and across the globe. I know how significant this time of year is for people throughout the world.
Lunar New Year is a time associated with traditions, families and communities. As we welcome the Year of the Snake in 2025, I know in Chinese culture, the snake symbolizes wisdom and knowledge.
In 2024, we have celebrated the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and China. People-to-people exchanges continue to strengthen our cultural bonds and foster mutual understanding.
Over the years, the Dublin Lunar New Year Festival has nurtured cultural exchange and I would like to thank all who organised this year’s programme.
I hope everyone has a peaceful, healthy and prosperous Year of the Snake. My best wishes to all for 2025.
Ambassador Pádraig Francis
Irish Embassy | Indonesia
Greetings and best wishes from all at the Embassy of Ireland in Jakarta to everyone who celebrates the Lunar New Year in Ireland.
The Lunar New Year is known as Imlek in Indonesia and is widely celebrated here, as it is throughout the rest of South East Asia and in many countries throughout the world.
This is a very special year for the Embassy of Ireland in Jakarta, as we celebrate ten years since the Embassy was opened and forty years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Indonesia. Even though we are far apart, the bonds between our countries are growing, and the celebration of the Lunar New Year is something we now have in common.
I hope that more Irish people will enjoy Imlek in Indonesia, and that Indonesians will enjoy it in Ireland.
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
Ambassador Sarah McGrath
Irish Embassy | Singapore