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Who says you have to be Irish to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day? Heck, Patrick himself wasn’t Irish. Apparently the folks in Dublin, Ohio feel the same way. This jewel of a town has done a fantastic job of leveraging one of its greatest assets - its name.

One small secret is the town has little connection to Irish ancestry. Its founders gave the dubious honor of naming their new village to their land surveyor, an Irishman who named it after his homeland, Dublin, Ireland. Today, Dublin is becoming one of America’s least-kept secrets for enjoying Irish tradition, particularly on that sacred day of green, St. Patrick’s Day. In August, they hold an Irish Festival that now attracts near 100,000 visitors. This was no accident; the city of Dublin and their active Convention & Visitors Bureau make a strong effort to deliver an Irish experience 365 days a year.

Dublin is a great example of how to extend the attributes of a destination brand into the community. As evident by their green fire hydrants, themed festivals and events, community colors (yes, the Chamber, City and tourism logos all contain a green clover) and their three rival high schools, nicknamed the Irish, Shamrocks and Celtics. They even give out a “Living the Irish Attitude Award” to community businesses that add to the Dublin destination experience. One local hotel named its meeting rooms after Irish counties.

Now that’s living the brand!

If you are ever in or around Columbus, Ohio, I encourage a visit to Dublin. Check out their web site at www.irishisanattitude.com. It really is magically delicious.

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