In recognition of St. Patrick’s Day, Ireland’s national holiday and embraced by Americans, and in celebration of the 35^th anniversary of San Jose’s sister city pairing with Dublin, Ireland, San Jose's City Hall will be illuminated in clover green for St. Patrick’s Day and the week of March 15-21.

San Jose will be joining cities across the nation and world as part of the Global Green Campaign in illuminating notable buildings in green to mark the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.  Last year more than 460 buildings worldwide were “greened” on March 17, according to the Consul General of Ireland in San Francisco.  Consul General Robert O’Driscoll added, “the illumination in green of the stunning San Jose City Hall highlights the strong links between the capital of Silicon Valley and the Emerald Isle, and offers a powerful and symbolic expression of our deep bonds of friendship.”

San Jose’s sister city pairing with Dublin, established in 1986, was a key initiative of Tom McEnery during his term as San Jose’s 61^st mayor from 1983 to 1991.  San Jose's sister city programs and exchanges have fostered closer ties with Dublin and Ireland in economic development, education, the arts, sport, civic engagement, government and other areas.  The San Jose Dublin Sister City Program, a non-profit community organization, plans programs in San Jose to advance the sister city linkage. 

“2021 is a year of pride, excitement and motivation” for the organization, said Pam Kelly, president.  “We take pride that for 35 years, our board of directors has sponsored many twinning relationships between the two cities and promoted numerous exchanges and cultural activities.  We are excited for what’s to come, as we resume the Pat McMahon Master’s Level Scholarship Exchange Program.”  This program, established in 2012, brings a Dublin City University graduate student to San Jose State University for a semester and an internship with a local company. In 2018 the exchange was expanded to include a SJSU graduate student to DCU.

The Consul General of Ireland has been an important supporter of the San Jose-Dublin sister city ties since its inception.  In recognition of the anniversary of the Dublin-San Jose sister city pairing, Consul General O’Driscoll said, “I want to pay tribute to the founders of this sister city relationship who showed so much vision in making the connection and to those in the years since who have facilitated cultural, business, education and people-to-people exchanges that have served to enrich both cities."