On Saturday 20th February, 11 of Sydney’s hottest Irish bachelors competed in the Sydney St Patrick’s Day Irish Bachelor of the Year Awards competition, a key fundraising event for the annual Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day. The winner was Tyrone man from Derrylaughan Paddy Coary.
 
The shocked 23 year old quantity surveyor was announced overall winner of the Irish Bachelor of the Year 2010 in a unanimous vote by all four judges. The audience stood to ovation at his performance piece, a swing dance with a female partner to Michael Buble's 'Haven't Met You Yet' after he told the audience about his love of the the Aussie lifestyle of BBQs and Bondi Beach, but still gets to enjoy GAA by playing with Sydney team Penrith Gaels.  He misses his family most and told guests that he can't wait to go home to attend two weddings later this year.
 
As well as being interviewed by Judges before the event, on the night all were interviewed on stage and performed a party piece. Bachelors also had one more challenge this year. Over the past two months special guest judge Deirdre Prendergast has been the voice for the single, female Irishwoman in Australia. Each bachelor was charged with taking Deirdre on a fun, thoughtful date costing no more than AUD$50.  Paddy's date was taking Deirdre on a kayaking trip in Sydney Harbour.
 
An audience of 400 guests were treated to an evening at the grand ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel. The panel of judges includes veteran Sydney St Patrick’s Day Bachelor of the Year judge Home and Away actor Lynn McGranger, Irish radio personality Michael Lyons and Dubliner Deirdre Prendergast.

Paddy was sponsored by Taste Ireland, the online Irish grocery store for Australia and New Zealand, owned by Eamon Eastwood, who is originally from Cookstown. Eamon said: "We were delighted when Paddy agreed with a little persuasion to take part in the competition on behalf of Taste Ireland. He's so modest and such an affable guy, he really stood out as a natural winner on the night and we're thrilled he won!"
 
Paddy receives a prize of return flights to Ireland.  

The Sydney St Patrick’s Day Irish Bachelor of the Year is the signature fundraising event for the Sydney St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day. It is currently in its eighth year.

ENDS

Pictured here: Paddy announced winner of Sydney Irish Bachelor of the Year 2010 by judge Deirdre Prendergast. Photo by Shane O'Neill, at the ball at the Four Seasons Hotel,Sydney.

For more Information contact:
Mary Hickey
Tel: +61 414 652 442
Email:  media@stpatricksday.org.au
Website: www.stpatricksday.org.au

Background to the Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day

In Australia, St Patrick’s Day celebrations have taken place on 17 March since 1810, when the then Governor, Lachlan Macquarie, declared the date an official day of celebration for the Irish and those of Irish heritage.
 
200 years later, we are still celebrating with an annual street parade and family day on the third Sunday of March – this year on Sunday 21 March 2010.
 
The Parade commences at midday at starts at the corner of Town Hall on George Street and Bathurst Street continuing to Park St and around Elizabeth St, ending at Hyde Park near St James Station.  The fun continues with the Family Day in Hyde Park, opening from 1pm to 7pm.
 
The Family Day will have something for everyone, from entertainment on the Main Stage from Irish musicians and dancers, to the colourful interactive Children’s Area. Food stands will serve Irish food and snacks and the beverage stands will cater for all tastes, from Irish tea to a good old glass of Guinness!
 
The Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade is organised by a group of volunteers from the Irish-Australian community. As a non-profit organisation, financial support is key to the continuing success of the Sydney St Patrick’s Day celebrations through fundraising throughout the year, Friends of St Patrick membership and the ever-popular Irish Bachelor of the Year event.

Date: 20 February 2010
Time: 6.30pm drinks reception
Venue: The Grand Ballroom, The Four Seasons Hotel, George St, Sydney
Event: Irish Bachelor of the Year Awards Gala Dinner, fundraiser for the Sydney St Patrick's Day Parade and Family Day
Cost: $165 per person.
Book online at: http://www.facebook.com/l/51da9;www.stpatricksday.org.au/bachelor-of-the-year-tickets/

The Sydney St Patrick's Day Committee is delighted to announce the 2010 Irish Bachelor of the Year Awards will take place on Saturday 20th February 2010, at the Four Seasons Hotel Grand Ballroom, George St, Sydney.

The Gala dinner will include a sumptuous sit down three-course meal and drinks package to midnight for 400 guests, commencing with a welcome reception at 6.30pm. The evening will include entertainment, fundraising raffles, the Bachelor finalist interviews and talent section, culminating with our winning Irish Bachelor of the Year 2010 being announced by our judges. The night will continue with music and dancing until 1am (cash bar only from midnight - 1am.)

Tickets available NOW, priced $165 per person, available individually or for tables of 10.

The Four Seasons Hotel is offering a special rate for guests of the Irish Bachelor of the Year on the night of 20th February, please quote Bachelor of the Year when booking to avail of a 15% discount to standard rates.

Bachelor finalists to be announced on Friday.

The Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day Committee would like to call for Parade float entries for this year’s Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade to be held on Sunday 21^st March 2010.

The Committee would once again love to see all 32 counties represented as with the past two years.  Many counties always do well with numbers, but many more still need people to come forward and be part of the Parade and get involved in the floats.

If you are not sure if your county has a float entered, go to ‘Parade’ section of the Sydney St Patrick’s Day website: www.stpatricksday.org.au where you will find a full list of the County Associations who will be able to help you.

Parade Manager John Lane said “We are already seeing a great number of people applying to enter floats in the parade and we’d love to have all 32 counties represented. But don’t forget, you can also enter a float for your business, Irish Dancing School, GAA or other sports teams, or to represent any community within the Irish-Australian community here in New South Wales.

He offered the following advice: “Think creatively when coming up with a theme for your float.  We’re looking for fun, entertaining floats that really stand out from each other and since this is a very special year – it’s the 200^th anniversary of St Patrick’s Day celebrations in New South Wales – so the more imaginative the better and we’ll make this the best Parade yet!”

For further queries contact Parade Manager John Lane at parade@stpatricksday.org.au .  Application deadline for floats is Friday 5th March 2010.

Famous Irish pub, Bondi Junction’s Cock’n’Bull is looking for Sydney’s wittiest and most charming Irish Bachelor to represent the bar at the upcoming Sydney St Patrick's Day Parade Bachelor of the Year next February.
 
Mr Cock’N’Bull is seeking Sydney's most eligible Irish men – or men of Irish decent – with the wit, gift of the gab and talent to sweep any girl off her feet.  You should be living in New South Wales as a resident or on a holiday visa, single and between 20 and 40 to enter the Awards.
 
The heat will be held at 8pm on Saturday 12th December 2009 at The Cock’N’Bull. Entry forms should be filled out and dropped into the entry box at the bar by 8th December. Finalists will be notified and the event on 12th December will include a night of entertainment, interviews, party pieces and plenty of craic!
 
All finalists taking part in the Mr Cock’n’Bull heats will be in with the chance of winning prizes for the first three placed Bachelors: a 2 for 1 Whitsunday sailing cruise, two Sunburnt Christmas Tickets (the Bondi Christmas party), special edition Magners packs and double passes to see the Wolfe Tones in Sydney.
 
The Mr Cock’n’Bull winner will then join 12 other Bachelors to compete in the Sydney St Patrick's Day Parade Irish Bachelor of the Year Awards on Saturday 20 February 2010 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. The event will be attended by 400 guests at a formal gala dinner, where Bachelors will be interviewed and perform a party piece. The judging panel will then announce the winner.
 
Along with international recognition as Sydney's most eligible Irish man and admiration from the ladies of Australia, the man crowned  Irish Bachelor of the Year 2010 wins return flights to Ireland and $1,000 spending money. 
 
All proceeds from the overall Awards go to the Sydney St Patrick's Day Parade and Family Day 2010 – making the Parade bigger and better for everyone.
 
Ends

For more information, please contact:
 
Mary Hickey
Media and Marketing Manager
St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day/ Bachelor of the Year Awards 2010
 
Tel:         0414 652 442
Email:    media@stpatricksday.org.au
 
 

Are you what we’re looking for?

The Bachelor of the Year Awards is seeking 12 of Sydney's most eligible Irish men – or men of Irish decent – with the wit, gift of the gab and talent to sweep any girl off her feet.  You should be living in New South Wales as a resident or on a holiday visa, single and between 20 and 40 to enter the Awards.

Along with international recognition as Sydney's most eligible Irish man and admiration from the ladies of Australia, the man crowned Irish Bachelor of the Year 2010 wins return flights to Ireland and $1,000 spending money. 

After the first round of judging, 12 finalists will be chosen, who will then be honoured at the Awards Gala, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney on 20th February 2010. The event will be attended by 400 guests at a formal gala dinner, where Bachelors will be interviewed and perform a party piece. The judging panel will then announce the winner.

To enter, you should download an application form from www.stpatricksday.org.au or join the Irish Bachelor of the Year Awards 2010 on Facebook to keep up to date. Entries close 4th December 2009.

New to the Awards this year

This year we are adding another dimension to the Awards – we are asking women to come forward to represent the ladies of Sydney on the judging panel. We are seeking a single woman who would like to be the voice of the judges, writing blogs on the Awards, being interviewed on radio as our representative and giving the public an insight into the Awards and the Bachelors lives.

The twelve finalist Bachelors will each take the lucky female judge on the most romantic, memorable afternoon date they can create with a $50 spending limit.  This will give the female judge an opportunity to properly get to know the Bachelors before the final Gala Awards dinner and announcement.

To enter, female judge applicants should email why they would make the perfect Judge for these awards, including full name and contact details to: bachelor1stpatrick@gmail.com

All proceeds from the Awards go to the Sydney St Patrick's Day Parade and Family Day 2010 – making the Parade bigger and better for everyone.

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For more information, please contact:
Bachelor1stpatrick@gmail.com

Mary Hickey
Media and Marketing Manager
St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day/ Bachelor of the Year Awards 2010

Tel:    0414 652 442
Email:    mchconsult@gmail.com