A giant rainbow installation is due to be unveiled in Festival Quarter as part of the St Patrick’s Festival this weekend (16^th and 17^th March). 

Made from over 1,500 recycled cans, the structure has been created by not-for-profit organisation Every Can Counts in partnership with Loreto College, which is based in St Stephen’s Green. 

18 transition year students from Loreto College collected cans for the installation, with local recycling centres Rathmines Bring Centre and Windmill Road Civic Amenity Centre also making donations.   

Pupils from the college also visited Every Can Counts’ Dublin warehouse earlier this month to learn more about the construction of the rainbow and how aluminium cans can be recycled time and time again, with empty cans recycled and back on a shop shelf as a brand-new can in just 60 days.

During the Festival weekend, six members from Every Can Counts will also be on hand to collect cans in recycling backpacks and conduct surveys with attendees to raise awareness on the importance of recycling. 

The deposit value of the cans collected by the team will then be donated to Capuchin Day Centre, which was nominated by Loreto College.

Capuchin Day Centre focuses on helping those who are struggling with homelessness in Dublin, providing them with shelter, hot meals, food parcels, medical services, counselling, and shower facilities.  

The giant rainbow installation arrives on the heels of the new Deposit Return Scheme, which was launched at the beginning of February.

Research from Every Can Counts has found nearly seven in 10 (69%) say that the new Deposit Return Scheme will encourage them to recycle more, with concern for the environment the main motivating factor.

Moreover, over three quarters (78%) of those living in the Republic of Ireland are more likely to purchase a drink container they consider to be recyclable, with aluminium cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles at the top of their lists. 

Chris Latham-Warde, programme manager for Every Can Counts, said: “St Patrick’s Day is a fantastic celebration of Irish culture and heritage and we’re thrilled we could partner with Loreto College and St. Patrick’s Festival to take part in the festival this year. 

“As well as brightening up Dublin, our installation will remind people about the benefits of recycling their drink cans, particularly as we mark over a month since the Deposit Return Scheme launched in the Republic of Ireland.

“Aluminium can be recycled time and time again, and making cans from recycled metal uses 95% less energy than making them from raw materials. The people of Dublin and Ireland alike can play their part in this process by ensuring they return all of their empty cans, allowing this valuable material to remain in circulation.”  

Jackie Dempsey, principal at Loreto College, said: “We couldn’t be prouder of our transition year pupils and their support of Every Can Counts’ installation at the St Patrick’s Festival this year.

“After spending several months collecting cans from all over Dublin, it’s great to see their hard work come to fruition in the form of the giant rainbow. The installation is not only eye catching but also a great reminder of the importance of recycling and the positive impact it has on our local community.”

Richard Tierney, CEO of St Patrick’s Festival, said: “Every Can Counts is more than just a recycling initiative; it’s a symbol of community engagement and environmental stewardship. We’re thrilled to have them and the Loreto College as part of the St. Patrick’s Festival this year, reminding us of all that every action, no matter how small, counts towards a greener, brighter future for Ireland and beyond. 

“We’d also like to say a huge thank you to the transition year pupils at Loreto College, who have spent months working on this project. We can’t wait to see their hard work in our Festival Quarter during the weekend”. 

“Sustainability is one of our core organisational values, and it’s an area where we feel we can really lead from the front on. It’s integral to every aspect of what we do in the festival from production through to programme. We’re aiming to implement genuinely impactful initiatives on the ground while continuing to support thought-provoking creative pieces throughout our programme.

“We’re grateful to our partners like Every Can Counts for coming on this journey with us this year and look forward to working to improve our sustainability throughout every aspect of the festival going forward”.

Every Can Counts is a unique partnership formed between drink can manufacturers, drink can fillers and the wider recycling industry, all with the goal of reaching a 100% recycling rate for drink cans. To find out more information about Every Can Counts, visit www.everycancounts.eu.