Partygoers in green have taken to the streets of Sydney in the lead-up to Saint Patrick’s Day – which honours Ireland’s national saint – on March 17.
With that date inconveniently falling on Monday this year, and the day not being a public holiday outside Ireland, the Irish Down Under celebrated their saint a day early in Irish bars across the country on Sunday.
The Sydney action was centred on The Rocks district down by the harbour, where thousands flocked to a closed-off street as temperatures soared to the high 30s, listening to live music and having a drink or two.
Celebrating St Patrick has a long, storied history in Australia going back more than 200 years and alcohol played a big part in the celebrations even then.
In 1795, Judge-Advocate David Collins of Sydney wrote in his journal: ‘On the 17th St Patrick found many votaries in the settlement… libations to the saint were so plentifully poured, that at night the cells were full of prisoners.’
Then in 1810, Lachlan Macquarie, the fifth governor of NSW, provided entertainment for government officers and labourers to honour the saint.
The celebrations later extended to horse races, banquets, parades, picnics, concerts, dancing and games on the day. About 2.4million Australians have some Irish ancestry, according to Census data.
Here are some photos of the merry scenes at The Rocks on Sunday evening.
Partygoers in green have taken to the streets in Sydney in the lead-up to Saint Patrick’s Day – which honours Ireland’s national saint – on March 17
St Patrick’s Day falls inconveniently on a Monday this year, so many in Sydney celebrated on Sunday instead
The beer flowed at the ticketed event, offering some relief from the sweltering heat
The partying in Sydney centred around The Rocks area beside the harbour
Wearing green – Ireland’s national colour – was a popular choice among those celebrating in Sydney
Thousands flocked to a closed-off street in The Rocks, listening to live music and having a drink or two
Many wore soccer jerseys: the Irish international team’s away strip (pictured left) and Celtic – a Scottish team set up by Irish immigrants (pictured right)
It was a hot autumn day in Sydney with temperatures in the high 30s
Many wore green or shamrock stickers in honour of the day
The revellers were all smiles as they celebrated Ireland’s national saint
Almost everybody down at The Rocks in Sydney on Sunday was in good spirits
Loved up scenes unfolded as the celebrations carried on into the evening
It wouldn’t be a St Patrick’s Day celebration without an oversized hat featuring the Irish flag colours and a shamrock
They may be missing the green grass of home, but they are wearing plenty of green in Sydney to make up for it
Dancing a jig on the streets of Sydney while carrying an Irish flag and holding onto your drink is no mean feat
