St Patrick proves hat-trick for priest

ROBYN EDIE/The Southland Times

PAT ON THE BACK: Father Martin Patrick Flannery, of St Patrick's Catholic Church, celebrates his birthday on St Patrick's Day yesterday at St Patrick's School.

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It's about as Irish as you can get on the opposite side of the world – a Catholic priest of Irish descent with a birthday on St Patrick's Day.

But there's more.

Father Martin Patrick Flannery is the parish priest of St Patrick's Catholic Church, in Invercargill.

He celebrated his 48th birthday in true Irish style yesterday, beginning at Waxy O'Shea's Irish Pub.

Kiwi-born Father Flannery admitted he had been to Ireland only twice, but said he still had a good grasp of what the day was all about.

He explained the day was not for the Irish to celebrate their patron saint, but for those who had left the country to remember their roots.

Elsewhere in the south, it did not matter whether you were Irish or a wannabe as St Patrick's Day celebrations got under way.

In the canine world, owners of Irish breeds celebrated with a photo shoot organised by the Invercargill SPCA. Board member Jo Hamilton said the she wanted to raise money for the SPCA in a unique way and getting people together with their dogs for a photo shoot was a great way to do that.

The event was held at the Southland Kennel Association Hall in Kennington, with irish wolfhounds, irish setters and irish wheaten terriers expected to attend, she said.

At Waxy O'Shea's, a potato-eating competition, Irish dancing and live music followed the early- morning breakfast.

Assistant manager Gail Beker said once the bar opened at 11am the sinking of "lots and lots of Guinness" began.

The bar had been busy throughout the day and those who were there got right into the spirit by dressing up in all kinds of "crazy" costumes, she said.

And, of course, the celebrations weren't confined to that bar.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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