A building is lit up in red to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Dublin, Ireland, Jan. 28, 2022. Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, an annual event organized by Dublin City Council, started here on Friday with an online evening concert presented by artists from China. (Photo by Liu Xiaoming/Xinhua)

Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, an annual event organized by Dublin City Council, started here on Friday with an online evening concert presented by artists from China.

The one-hour-long pre-recorded concert by Beijing Symphony Orchestra featured several classic and modern music pieces, both Chinese and foreign.

Meanwhile, over a dozen landmark buildings in Dublin, including The Mansion House, an official residence for Lord Mayor of Dublin, Convention Centre Dublin and Guinness Storehouse, will be lit up red to celebrate the Chinese New Year from Friday till Tuesday of Feb. 1, the day that marks the beginning of the 2022 Chinese New Year.

Earlier this week, the Dublin City Council held a launch ceremony of the Dublin Goes Red for Lunar New Year event at the Dublin City Gallery. Lord Mayor of Dublin Alison Gilliland, Chinese ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong, and chief executive officer of Tourism Ireland Niall Gibbons attended the event.

Gilliland told Xinhua that "Dublin has been celebrating the lunar new year for decades and it is really important for us that we showcase the various heritages of our city."

"During the pandemic, we all need something to brighten our lives. And this festival, over several days and nights, will provide that not just for Dubliners but everyone across the country," she said.

The Dublin Lunar New Year Festival was first introduced in 2008. This year's festival is expected to be one of the largest cultural events in Ireland after the country scrapped most of the COVID-19 restrictions about a week ago.

During the 10-day festival that lasts till Feb. 6, a variety of events aiming to introduce Chinese culture, arts, films, martial arts, and cuisine will be held online and offline.

In a message posted on the website of Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, Irish President Michael D. Higgins wished the Chinese community in Ireland a happy and safe new year and thanked them for their positive contributions to the Irish nation. 

A building is lit up in red to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Dublin, Ireland, Jan. 28, 2022. Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, an annual event organized by Dublin City Council, started here on Friday with an online evening concert presented by artists from China. (Photo by Liu Xiaoming/Xinhua)

A building is lit up in red to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Dublin, Ireland, Jan. 28, 2022. Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, an annual event organized by Dublin City Council, started here on Friday with an online evening concert presented by artists from China. (Photo by Liu Xiaoming/Xinhua)

A museum is lit up in red to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Dublin, Ireland, Jan. 28, 2022. Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, an annual event organized by Dublin City Council, started here on Friday with an online evening concert presented by artists from China. (Photo by Liu Xiaoming/Xinhua)