Commemoration of the 16th of February in Dublin
The celebratory events of the Day of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania in Dublin began on 15th of February with an art program by the Irish Lithuanian cultural group “Lyric Evenings” featuring songs and poems performed by compatriots dedicated to Lithuania. On the 16th of February, in the Lithuanian Embassy, Lithuanian high school students from Ireland, led by Lithuanian language teacher Jurgita Urbelienė, presented a fun and interactive play about Lithuanian book smugglers and their significance in the Lithuanian National Revival.
Afterwards, a solemn commemoration and Lithuanian mass for the Homeland were held in Dublin’s St. Andrew's Church, offered by the priest Egidijus Arnašius, chaplain of the Lithuanian Catholic Mission in Ireland. For Lithuanian Catholics in Ireland, this day turned into a double celebration, as fifteen years ago, on 16th of February 2005, the first Lithuanian priest came to Dublin and started the Catholic mission.
The Lithuanian Ambassador to Ireland, Egidijus Meilūnas, and the chairman of the Lithuanian Community in Ireland, Arūnas Teišerskis, spoke at the commemoration and clarified the significance of the State Restoration Day to nowadays Lithuania, as well as the necessity to broaden the relations among Lithuania and its emigrants.
Famous Lithuanian tenor - Rafailas Karpis and pianist - Darius Mažintas performed the festive program to a large number of attendees - representatives of the Lithuanian community, diplomatic agents and delegates from Irish cultural institutions.
On the day of the Restoration, Lithuanians from other parts of Ireland, also commemorated it and various festivities took place in many Lithuanian schools throughout Ireland.
