St. Patrick makes seafaring Seattle arrival in South Lake Union, Friday

St. Patrick, namesake of the most green of holidays, makes his seafaring arrival in Seattle, Friday evening as the green-robed cleric is returned to the Emerald City by boat -- and pirate, kicking off “Irish Week” in the South Lake Union neighborhood.  The event is part of Seattle’s official Irish Week celebration, presented by the Irish Heritage Club.

Remindful of Punxsutawney Phil’s photogenic prognostications in early February, St. Patrick will be greeted by South Lake Union Chamber of Commerce and South Lake Union Community Council leaders, adorned in top hats and tails, welcoming the Patron Saint to Lake Union Park at 5:45 p.m. 

“St. Patrick is the most emerald of saints and it’s only fitting that his arrival in Seattle be by boat and in the good company of pirates,” said John Keane, Honorary Counsel to Ireland and Seattle’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade coordinator.

During the brief rite St. Patrick will arrive by water under the care of Washington state Olympic boxer Queen Underwood and an unruly gang of Seattle’s own Seafaring Pirates on board the emerald-green-decked 42-foot classic Lake Union Dreamboat “Orba”.

The made for TV and photo shenanigans includes a brief proclamation reading by civic leaders including Galway, Ireland Mayor Donal Lyons, also dressed in ornate "chains of the office", and other members of Seattle Irish sister city delegation.  The reading recounts the legend of St. Patrick’s fifth-century capture and enslavement by Irish pirates, ridding the Emerald Isle of snakes and, of course, welcome home to the Emerald City.

Following the event, Patrick will be whisked away by the buccaneers to paint a green strip along Fourth Ave. marking the route of Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  The decades-old “Laying O’ The Green” street painting gets underway at 7 p.m. at Fourth Ave. and Jefferson Street, just south of the entrance to the King County Administration Building.

Public Seattle Irish Week events include, Annual Mass for Peace at the Plymouth Congregational Church (Friday, March 13, 10 a.m.), Mayor's Proclamation Lunch at F.X. McRory's in Pioneer Square (Friday, March 13, 12 noon), South Lake Union Arrival of St. Patrick, Lake Union Park (Friday, March 13, 5:45 p.m.), Laying O' The Green along Fourth Ave. (Friday, March 13, 7 p.m., meet Fourth and Jefferson Streets), Festal Irish Week Festival at the Seattle Center Armory (Saturday, March 14, 12 noon – 6 p.m. and Sunday, March 15 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.), Irish Reels Film Festival at Seattle Center Armory (Saturday, March 14, 12 noon), Seattle St. Patrick's Day Parade downtown along Fourth Ave. (12:20 p.m. Start from Fourth and Jefferson to Westlake Ave.), St. Patrick's Day! (Tuesday, March 17, All day!). 

To learn more, read Seattle's official Irish Week program at:  http://irishclub.org/2015-Program.pdf