Céad Míle Fáilte! 

Or a “hundred thousand welcomes,” as the Irish would say.

This was what first greeted us when we arrived at the Grand Hyatt Hotel for the St. Patrick’s Irish Charity Ball. It’s the first of its kind in the Philippines, and we felt a truly warm welcome.

Beyond the elaborate floats, parades, shamrocks and green outfits this celebration is known for, this is actually a holiday for Ireland’s patron saint who brought Christianity to the country. Nowadays, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated across the globe and, as luck would have it, we now have our turn, too!

While ours was a black-tie event, green was definitely the color of the night. It wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without it. Ambassadors and guests alike gathered to enjoy sparkling performances by the Halili-Cruz School of Ballet, The Irish Rovers band and others. We also enjoyed a four-course Irish feast done to perfection — thanks to the Grand Hyatt’s executive chef Mark Hagan.

When it was time to mix and mingle, we definitely got into the spirit with unlimited wine and spirits. Eventually, we had to trade our champagne flutes for coffee cups. Without complaint though — their Irish coffee was delicious to the last drop! We headed out at 1 a.m. but continued the party a bit more at the fabulous Uma Nota. Maybe this is the effect of the luck of the Irish… extra energy for partying.

I heard that next year is going to be an even bigger celebration so that they can host more people. I already can’t wait! St. Patrick’s Day is officially something I’ll look forward to on my March social calendar.

Sláinte!