An Irish Festival, To Be Sure!

It’d be Irish to say you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy St Patrick’s Day, but we’re sure you know what we mean.

To be sure, it helps to be one of the 200,000 people in Auckland who lay claim to some Irish ancestry. And with those sorts of odds, it may pay to start early.

Still, in Auckland on March 17, heritage never seems to matter.

And while we all appreciate our vocal chords do need the occasional lubricant to keep them in top working order, there’s actually a lot more to the celebrations than the cure for what ails you - or is that the ale what cures you?

Anyway, that’s why the St Patrick’s Festival was set up eight years ago - to help us all celebrate Ireland’s national day.

The festival -- chock full of Irish music, dance, art, film and culture - lasts four days from March 14 and the organisers say there’s something for all age groups.

Highlights include:

- Tim Finn at the Guinness Music Festival in Aotea Square between 12 noon and 5pm on Saturday March 16. He performs and welcomes the Irish Minister of State who will open the festival;

- Irish Pride on show in the Hugh Green Group Parade up Queen Street at noon on the same day. You’re invited to take part and walk behind one of 32 Irish county banners bringing up the rear. Also starts at 12 noon;

- Friday’s free Guinness Travelling Hooley is definitely for the party crowd. The free bus delivers you to 10 official Irish Festival pubs where there’s great Irish entertainment throughout the night;

- the Jameson St Patrick’s Eve Banquet at the Carlton Hotel on Saturday night; and, of course,

- St Patrick’s Day itself, when everyone celebrates at the official Festival Pubs or soothes away the day at the Irish art exhibition in Aotea Centre.

For more information and locate your nearest festival Irish pub, check out the festival Internet site at www.stpatrick.co.nz or call the festival office on 0-9-535 4185.

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Issued for St Patrick’s Festival by Pead PR

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