‘Spirit of Irish culture’ celebrated in Christchurch

Monday, 17 March 2025

Pippa Traylen, of the Southern Cross Irish Dance group, performs at The Bog on St Patrick's Day.

Spare a thought for the city’s Irish dancers as St Patrick’s Day arrived.

As pints were flowing for happy punters celebrating the occasion in Christchurch’s pubs on Monday, a team of 73 dancers performed at 25 venues across the city.

“It’s the busiest day out in the community for us. We’ve been to bars, schools, pre-schools, rest homes - anywhere that has asked,” said Argene Flack, co-director of Southern Cross Irish Dance.

“It was always my favourite day of the year. A chance to go and bring some smiles and make people feel the spirit of Irish culture, something special to them.”

Irish dancers got a roar of approval from the The Bog crowd.

The dancers split into four “troupes” and divided up the venues between them. The youngest dancer was just 18 months old, and rightfully fell asleep after their third performance of the day.

“One of the best things is a lot of our dancers have had the chance to perform for someone they know … which is really special,” Flack said.

Darren Curtis, left, with Wendy Opetaia, celebrating St Patrick’s Day at The Church last year.

St Patrick’s Day was the biggest day on the calendar, said Paddy McNaughton's Irish Pub bartender Ben Wasley. He expected to pour eight kegs worth of Guinness over the day, the most the bar would all year.

“It’s a day we always look forward to - everyone’s in a good mood, and you get in the thick of it,” Wasley said.

Daniel Whitelaw, a working tourist and bartender from Glasgow, said he really embraced his half-Irish heritage on the day and enjoyed “the overall vibes, the music, and the passion” that it created.

Students dressed as leprechauns on Castle St, in the heart of the student quarter in Dunedin, for St Patrick's Day on Monday.

The occasion, which formally honours Ireland’s patron saint, was all about connecting with friends, said Nicky Wilson. She has lived in Christchurch for nearly 20 years after moving from London, and said her children are half Irish.

Wilson loves the taste of Guinness, and reminisced over pouring countless pints as a barmaid herself, perfecting pouring a shamrock (clover) etched into the foam on top of each one.

“Back in the day, if a woman needed iron she’d have a Guinness.

“It’s good to come out and be amongst people who have similar memories, make connections and enjoy a Guinness.”

Further south in Dunedin, celebrations took a different turn when a dead wallaby was thrown onto a burning couch in the student quarter. The pest had been shot in the South Canterbury area before being taken to Dunedin, Stuff reported.

The city has become a drawcard for students from other areas wanting to celebrate the occasion, and many start the day drinking “six before six” - six alcoholic beverages before 6am.