500 drones illuminate Dublin in subdued St Patrick's Day

690 landmarks turned a familiar shade of shamrock green last night, as the world marked a subdued St Patrick's Day.

The Irish national holiday on 17 March has been adopted as an international celebration of the Emerald Isle, stout ale and bráithreachas. However with much of the world still affected by Coronavirus restrictions, many of the traditions and parties could not take place.

However, one of the newest traditions was able not only to go ahead, but to grow in scale.

The Global Greening is in its 12 year, which sees global landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil being lit in green light.

Pisa in Italy joins Tourism Ireland's annual Global Greening initiative to mark St Patrick's Day. Photo / Supplied

Auckland's The Sky Tower was the first of such landmark's to be illuminated in Irish national colours for the Patron Saint.

With a record number of sites joining the 'Greening' – the event saw a number of additional firsts – such as the summit of Øretoppen Mountain in Norway becoming the first landmark above the Arctic Circle to join the event.

The Auckland Sky Tower is the first landmark to 'go green' on 17 March. Photo / Michael Craig

Observed in 66 countries, this year saw countries including Kenya join the party for the first time, illuminating the Sekenani Gate at the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Perhaps the biggest first was a celebration called Orchestra of Light, which saw 500 drones animate the skies above Dublin.

The film was choreographed and pre-recorded earlier this month, with help from the Intel Drone Light Show. The short film features the capital's best known landmarks, including the Samuel Beckett bridge and the banks of the River Liffey.

Soundtracked by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the music was composed by Eimear Noone and her husband Craig Stuart Garfinkle with a track called Things Are Different.

Bráithreachas: the 'orchestra of light' illuminated Dublin with drones. Photo / Supplied

While it was a very different set of circumstances, Tourism Ireland took heart from the growing interest and scale in the Global Greening and hoped it was a sign for bigger and better event, post-pandemic.

"Although St Patrick's Day public celebrations will not take place this year, communities around the globe will feel connected as the world turns green today, helping to bring positivity to the 70+ million people with links to the island of Ireland," read a statement from the tourism board.