Hever Castle lights up green for St Patrick’s Day

March 17 2021 | Castle

Credit Ciaran McCrickard/PA Wire

Hever Castle has joined Tourism Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations today (Wednesday 17 March).

The historic attraction lit up in green as part of the Global Greenings campaign which sees landmarks and monuments in Great Britain illuminated.

Along with Hever Castle, London’s Leadenhall Market, the V&A Dundee, Leeds City Museum, the village of Portmeirion, Castell Coch and home to the 2020 ‘I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’ camp, Gwrych Castle all turned green to mark Ireland’s national day.

Other popular landmarks glowing green for St Patrick’s Day include London Eye, Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Nelson’s Column, Norwich City Hall, Wollaton Hall in Nottingham, The Queen’s House in Greenwich, a filming location in the hit Netflix show, Bridgerton. Leeds Civic Hall, Leeds Town Hall and The Embassy of Ireland in London.

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “2021 marks the 12th year of Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative and each year I am delighted to see so many attractions and landmark sites wishing to get involved and to mark St Patrick’s Day.

“More than 70 million people around the world claim links to the island of Ireland and St Patrick’s Day is a truly unique opportunity to reconnect them with their heritage. This year, in particular, we aim to bring some positivity and hope to our Diaspora across the globe.

“At a time when Irish people overseas cannot travel home, we want to shine a green light in as many locations around the world as possible, giving our Diaspora a sense of connection with home and reminding them that we cannot wait to welcome them back, as soon as it is possible to do so.”

Hever Castle has links to Ormond Castle in Ireland through former owner Thomas Boleyn whose mother was part of the Butler family who owned Ormond Castle.

Henry VIII wanted the titles of Ormond and Wiltshire for Thomas Boleyn and forced the Butler family to resign their claims in 1528.

Before making Anne Boleyn his Queen, the King encouraged Thomas Boleyn to marry his daughter Anne to James Butler to resolve the dispute over the title of Ormond. It is unknown why the marriage negotiations did not happen.

Following the fall of Anne Boleyn, the claims of Piers Butler were recognised again and on 22 February 1538, the earldom of Ormond was restored to him, before he died on 26 August 1539.