‘Ireland’s Greening of the World’ is a recently launch book which tells the story of Tourism Ireland’s unique Global Greening campaign that began in 2010.
The concept has captured the imagination of people around the world. This year, 470 sites and iconic landmarks in 55 countries turned green for Ireland, yet it was just one man and one building that started it all ten years ago.
In 2009 The Walshe Group founder, Rodney Walshe, convinced Auckland’s Sky Tower to be lit green to commemorate Ireland’s National Day, St Patricks Day on the 17th of March. The result was impressive with the green illumination dominating the Auckland skyline.
Tourism Ireland CEO, Nial Gibbons, acknowledges in the book that “Rodney epitomised everything good about Ireland, assisting legions of Irish travellers to New Zealand and promoting Irish tourism there as well.
“It was Rodney who arranged to have Auckland’s iconic Sky Tower light up in green to mark St Patrick’s Day, paving the way for what we know today as Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative.”
Jacqui Walshe, Managing Director of The Walshe Group said “We are incredibly proud to note the special recognition to Rodney. Always the innovator, Rodney came up with the idea and made it happen then shared the images with Ireland with the suggestion that this could be a concept that other countries could follow.”
The following year Tourism Ireland, Australia lit up the iconic Sydney Opera House and as they say, the rest is history.
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