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#ShineYourLight - Ireland unites in a source of warmth, hope, and vision

Updated / Sunday, 20 Dec 2020 21:54
Taoiseach Micheál Martin sparked the #ShineYourLight campaign.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin sparked the #ShineYourLight campaign.

Light is a source of warmth, hope, and vision. In a time of darkness, it can be hard to see.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin sparked the #ShineYourLight campaign by lighting a candle in front of the Christmas tree in his office in Government buildings. The Taoiseach was watched over by the portrait of former President of Ireland, Éamon de Valera.

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A host of national and local public buildings across the island, joined together in shining their beacons of light, along with Irish embassies and missions around the world.

#ShineYourLight/ #LonraighdoSholas called on people of all ages, to be as creative as they wish to either power their phone torches, flash house lights, leave a candle safely in the window or display their Christmas lights and to participate in the initiative from wherever they are.

View the gallery above of how towns and cities got involved. 

Below are the highlights from the night's events:

You can relive all the magic on the RTÉ Player here.


The special event began at 8:30pm tonight on both RTÉ One television and RTÉ Radio 1, with music and special guest appearances from the likes of Saoirse Ronan, Manchan Magan, Damien Dempsey, Sharon Shannon and Former President Dr. Mary McAleese, to name just a few. 

One of the special performances for #ShineYourLigh was Dana Masters accompanied by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Check out the snippet from the performance below:

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Below are some of the images and thoughts on social media. 

On the longest night of what has been a very long year, the night of the winter solstice (grianstad an Gheimhridh as gaeilge), we are joining #ShineYourLight from the Villa Spada in Rome, sending a bit of brightness out into the midwinter gloom #Lonraighdosholas 🕯❄️ 🕯 pic.twitter.com/EGi3jkAuMy

— Ireland in Rome (@IrlEmbRome) December 20, 2020

Had all the Christmas feels editing these gas kiddos from Lurga NS in Galway during the week. Catch them on #ShineYourLight this evening on @RTERadio1 with @theruthsmith from 8.30-9.30. Keep on looking at the stars!@creativeirl @AthenaMediaLtd pic.twitter.com/MiiwHHzDJf

— Brian Mc Namara (@breenbeen) December 20, 2020

The live streaming of the Winter Solstice at Newgrange is only days away. To view this spectacular phenomenon direct from within the Chamber, click on the following link:https://t.co/Zm6Zr3n1LM

Here's hoping for a spectacular Sunrise. #Newgrange pic.twitter.com/DhLRNPzvPA

— OPW - Office of Public Works #StaySafe #HoldFirm (@opwireland) December 16, 2020

Join people in Ireland and Irish around the world in Shining a light to new beginnings on the eve of the winter #Solstice #lonraighdosholas #ShineYourLight @creativeirl @RTE https://t.co/aGSsuHLT3d

— Embassy of Ireland (@IrlEmbCroatia) December 20, 2020

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