Auckland Celebrates St Patrick’s Day

Auckland Celebrates St Patrick’s Day

Thursday March 17 is St Patrick’s Day, but in true Irish tradition this year’s St Patrick’s Festival is going to be celebrated…..early!

Instead of Thursday 17th St Paddies Day…. The Parade and Fleadh will be on Sunday March 13!

Be first in the world to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and be on Ponsonby Rd at 12pm on Sunday 13 March for the Hugh Green Group St Patrick’s Parade when the world turns a little green. Featuring Irish inspired floats, traditional music and dancing, bands and lots more.

Then skip on down to Western Park on Ponsonby Rd for the magical, musical Fleadh (festival of Irish culture, actually pronounced flar!) with dancing and singing, fun and frolicking as only the Irish know how!

Sunday 13 March, 12pm – 1pm

The Hugh Green Group St Patrick’s Parade on Ponsonby Rd, starts Ponsonby Terrace and ends Crummer Rd, Ponsonby, FREE

Irish bands and dancers, leprechauns, Faerie Folke, the Rose of Tralee AND St Patrick himself!

Sunday 13 March, 12pm - 3pm

The Hugh Green Group Fleadh on Western Park, Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, FREE

Featuring Sean Kelly and The Celtic Flyers, Connolly School of Irish Dance and The Doyle Academy of Irish Dance

Wednesday 16 March, 6pm – 9pm

The Greening, Royal NZ Yacht Squadron, 101 Curran Street, Westhaven, Herne BayCelebrate St Patrick’s Eve and the Greening of Auckland while enjoying drinks and canapes. To book your ticket go to: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/the-greening-tickets-21048599929

Come celebrate St Patrick’s Day early at the St Patrick’s Festival, when the Irish comes out in all of us! St Patrick’s Festival – you have to be there to be sure!

“Saint Patrick was a gentleman, who through strategy and stealth drove all the snakes from Ireland, here’s a drink to his health! But not too many drinks, lest we lose ourselves and then, forget the good Saint Patrick, and see them snakes again!” Author Unknown.

For details go to www.stpatrick.co.nz

Spirit of St Patrick

“Some fifteen hundred years ago the man who became known as St Patrick worked as a Christian missionary in Pagan Ireland. Although there are numerous accounts of his early life, it is believed that at age 16 he was brought to Ireland as a slave. He arrived in County Mayo and was sold to an Antrim farmer for whom he tended sheep for six years. Patrick eventually escaped back to Britain where he began his religious studies.

In 432 he decided to return to Ireland as a missionary. One of his first converts was a local Gaelic Chieftain who gave him a barn in which to hold his services. Over the next thirty years, Patrick converted Pagan Irish to Christianity. The legends of his works and miracles spread across Ireland. He made famous the shamrock, which he used to illustrate the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

Perhaps the greatest legacy of St Patrick is the marriage of Christianity to Gaelic culture, which gave life to the Irish spirit.

Patrick died in 461. It was for his missionary work and the spiritual inspiration he left behind that he became the Patron Saint of Ireland.”

St Patrick’s Festival Trust, P O Box 38 689, Howick 2145, Auckland Tel 09 377 6190www.stpatrick.co.nz

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