“As Lord Mayor of Cork, I am honoured to support the Cork Chinese New Year Festival, also known as the ‘Spring Festival’ or ‘Lunar New Year’. Cork became the first Irish city to twin with a Chinese city in 2005 when it began its valued relationship with Shanghai. Since then, Cork City has entered Partnership agreements with Hangzhou, Wuxi, and Shenzhen. Cork City Council are proud of our connections with China and, additionally, proud that many people from China have chosen to live in our city. I was honoured as Lord Mayor just last November to lead a delegation to Shanghai and to have the opportunity to experience the magnificent culture of China first hand.
This festival is one of the most important and widely celebrated expressions of Chinese Culture and my best wishes to all those celebrating in Cork. I wish you all a Happy New Year of the Snake”.
Cllr Dan Boyle
Musical Guests this year 2025 include : MESOPOTAMI
Mesopotami was formed by Colum Pettit (violin, oud) and Aury Livingstone (guitar, oud) on the former’s return from 30 years of travels. Joined by Dara O’Brien (sitar, percussion) and Jorge Kachmari (darbuka and clarinet), the group play music from the rich traditions of Turkey, Morocco, Armenia, India and the Middle East, where so many have been displaced by recent unrest. They are joined in the Roundy by special guests including Fi Tierney (vocals) and Rajbir Bhattacharjee (tabla). Mesopotami means the land between two rivers, however here in Cork what appears to be two is really just one
Rasa Nua:
Rasa Nua are a Cork based ensemble. Jorge Kachmari clarinet, saxophone, Dara O’Brien sitar, guitar, Pat Allot percussion and Tim O’Leary double bass
They draw inspiration from Indian Classical Music, Jazz, Blues, Klezmer and Contemporary Music.
January 25th Marina Market
The Chinese New Year Celebration:
Xīnnián kuàilè, Shé nián dàjí, Wànshì shèng yì! (Happy New Year! Wishing you great fortune in the Year of the Snake, and may everything turn out better than you expect!)
To celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Snake, the Confucius Institute at University College Cork, in collaboration with the Cork Chinese Business Association, organized a Chinese New Year celebration on January 25, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Marina Market. The event featured six cultural experience workshops and two exciting performances. The cultural workshops included Calligraphy, Paper cutting, Tea tasting, Sugar painting, and Face painting. The performances showcased traditional Chinese music, modern dance and song, classical dance, kung fu demonstrations, and a dialogue between Chinese and Irish musical instruments.
The Confucius Institute at UCC is excited to offer the people of Cork a diverse cultural experience through our Chinese New Year celebrations and are dedicated to bringing rich cultural experiences and performances to the Cork community every year during this festive season. See you again next year!
The Confucius Institute at University College Cork (UCC) was established in 2007 through a partnership between Shanghai University and UCC. It offers Chinese courses for BA, MA, and Business students, significantly enhancing UCC’s Chinese teaching curriculum. Beyond the university, the CI collaborates with 39 local schools, engaging 2,923 students in 2024 and fostering early interest in Chinese language and culture.
Renowned for its vibrant cultural activities, the CI hosts the annual Chinese Spring Festival Gala, participates in Cork’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and organizes the ‘Chinese Bridge’ Competition. Signature initiatives such as “Chinese Culture on Campus,” the China-Ireland Appreciation Gatherings, and Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations further deepen cross-cultural understanding.
Through its educational programs and dynamic cultural initiatives, the UCC Confucius Institute continues to strengthen ties between Chinese and Irish communities, promoting mutual understanding and year-round appreciation of Chinese culture.
See below 2024 Events
Have you something to contribute ?
Join us for this Multi Cultural / Multi Faith event : Contact Us by email corkchinesenewyear@gmail.com or phone + 353 89 4717922
Cork CNY
Become a Sponsor
This is truly a community coming together to support each other. You can sponsor this event in a number of ways, financially, energetically or by a gifting / loaning us the resources needed to make everything happen EG Chairs, Microphones, Tables paper plates & cups etc
Call Mary on 089 4717922 to sponsor or just make a donation
The Joan Denise Moriarty School of Dance have coreographed a Dragon Dance which will be performed at several locations
The 2024 Spring Gala of UCC Confucius Institute is just around the corner! This year, the UCC Confucius Institute delighted to welcome the professional performance team from Inner Mongolia Cultural Tourism Investment Group. The gala features not only splendid programs but also a lineup of talented performers, promising to present an audiovisual feast for all.
With a career spanning over 40 years, Declan Sinnott has played guitar and produced music for Irish folk luminaries such as Christy Moore, Mary Black, Sinead Lohan and John Spillane to name but a few. He was a founding member of Horslips and Moving Hearts – two of the most influential trad /electric bands in Ireland, and spent 13 years guiding Mary Black’s career, producing the majority of her music. Since the year 2000 Declan has been guitarist and producer to Christy Moore, who was recently named as Ireland’s greatest living musician in RTÉ’s ‘People of the Year Awards
CORK 1000 LAMP RITUAL
Year of the Dragon 2024: Join us on the 24th of February and light a candle and make a wish on this Multi Faith Multi Cultural evening.
We will light 1000 candles and pray for Peace, Luck & Good Fortune for everyone. We have many wonderful musicians lined up as we join together as a community. We always honour all faith traditions and this year as the world tethers on the brink of an expanding war and refugee crisis we are holding a Multi Faith Ritual on the Full Moon, 24th of February 2024. It will be on a Saturday evening at The Marina Market in Cork
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is one of the most important and widely celebrated festivals in Chinese culture. It marks the beginning of the lunar new year and is a time for family reunions, cultural festivities, and the welcoming of a new year with hope and optimism.
Does your Chinese Zodiac sign influence how 2024 will be for you?
Dragon, Dog, Ox, Sheep/Goat
An Tai Sui Dharma Rite: Extinguish Spiritual Obstacles, Alleviate Disasters and Suffering.
Make Peace with the Forthcoming Year… In Chinese astrology every year is governed by a zodiac sign. Your luck, success, and prosperity is affected by the ruling zodiac sign of the current year. If your personal zodiac sign does not have a favorable relationship with the sign of the current year, it can cause challenging circumstances throughout the year. This protective, life-enhancing prayer ceremony is of exclusive benefit to those born under any of the four zodiac signs that are in conflict with or offending the upcoming year’s ruling sign, and registering on the An Tai Sui beneficiary list. Those born under the “offending” Lunar zodiac animal signs are strongly recommended to register for the An Tai Sui Dharma Rite.
This ceremony extinguishes personal spiritual obstacles, and creates good spiritual cause for overflowing financial resources; extinguishes disasters, suffering, and difficulties.
Candles have been used for centuries they in sacred ceremonies. Buddhist monks light them while meditating in temples. Jews celebrate with them for Hanukkah. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas with the light of the fire. In many cultures and religions, lighting candles is a symbol of faith, miracle, enlightenment, peace, concentration, life-giving power, and joy.
There will be several time slots available to visit this event and depending on the demand for tickets we are working out these time slots but in general 6pm to 6.30pm and 7pm to 7.30pm come light a candle, listen to some music / chanting, make a wish, have a cuppa, 7.15pm to 9pm Multifaith Prayer dedication & opening by Cork City Lord Mayor Cllr Kirean McCarthy, chanting ritual by Hanmi Esoteric Buddhists
9.15pm until late musical programme
People will be welcome to come for one two or all timeslots…. put the date in your diary book your place
Supported By
This is truly a community coming together to support each other as the Creative & Spiritual community in Cork often do. The performers, orgsanisers and volunteers are giving their time and energy. Various organisations are helping us with tables & chairs etc and all the things needed for an event like this. You can sponsor this event in a number of ways, financially, energetically or by gifting / loaning us the resources needed to make everything happen.
Nano Nagle Place
Joan Denise Moriarty School of Dance
Hanmi Buddhist Association
Cork Unitarian Church
Jambhala Temple
Nano Nagle Place
Joan Denise Moriarty School of Dance
Hanmi Buddhist Association
Nastaran: Indian and Afghani Classical Music
Hamid Wentzel
with Dara O’Brien
& Omkar Vaze
The Fresh Air Collective are a Cork based world music trio who play a rich variety of tunes and songs from around the globe. South American, Balkan, Klezmer and Irish..on accordion, violin, guitar and voice.
Edel Sullivan, Ruti Lachs and Eileen Healy have been playing together in various combos for many years.
Bhavana Anand is an accomplished dancer, choreographer and founder of Urdhva school of Art & Culture, she holds Vidwat in Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi and a diploma in yoga training. Bhavana accords the pride of place to performance and has given a number of Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi recitals at various dance festivals within Ireland and internationaly
She holds the title THE BIRD OF PARADISE, NATYAVISHARADA AND PRATHIBHAPRAPOONA.
Bhavana is currently a dance teacher at the Joan Denise Moriarty School of Dance in Cork
Photo: David Creedon
The personality traits of people born in the year of the dragon are: charismatic, intelligent, confident, powerful and they are naturally lucky and gifted. In everything that they do, they tend to do it to the best of their ability with high standards. Famous Dragons include:
Joan of Arc – Leader.
Boris Johnson – British Prime Minister.
Julius Caesar – Roman dictator.
Adele – British Singer and Songwriter.
Bruce Lee – actor, martial artist.
Liam Neeson – actor,
Keanu Reeves – actor.
Jack Dorsey – Twitter founder, philathropist.
Ringo Starr – musician.
John Lennon – musican
Martin Luther King Jr – leader
Rihanna – Singer
Jason Butler is a Singer, guitar player and songwriter based in Cork City Ireland. His Debut EP “In The City ” is available on all streaming platforms including I Tunes, Deezer and Spotify.” In The City” is also available as a music video on You Tube and Vimeo, which includes scenes of Cork City Centre. He is currently a 4th Year student in Cork School of Music MTU in Bachelor of Popular Music. Jason began writing songs, making poems and pictures in his early teens and went on to the Crawford College of Art And Design to do a BA in Fine Art. Jason’s songs highlight love, evoke joy and angst whilst delving into memories happy, sad or mysterious. Jason has supported well-known Irish acts in the past such as Aslan and the much-loved Cork band Fred. He has received praise from RTE Studios in Cork and is a rising star.
Buddha Relic Blessing
Relics can purify an incredible amount of negative karma.
Relics are the Enlightened Beings means for passing on blessings of their body, speech and mind.
Contact: Email corkchinesenewyear@gmail.com
Phone Mary O Connor 089 4717922
