Last year we had 22 entrants. On the night Best Group went to Castlecomer and Best Individual went to David Wilson. Due to weather conditions the 2011 Parade & Family Day was cancelled and the winning artists didn't get to perform - we have arranged for them to perform next year and be part of the 2012 celebrations.

This year we will be holding auditions on Saturday 4th February 2012 at the Gaelic Club on Devonshire St from 1pm - 7pm. From here 10 finalists will be chosen. The Final will be held on Saturday 3rd March 2012 at the Penrith Gaels Club from 7.30pm. The night at Penrith Gaels will be held as a fundraiser for the St. Patrick’s Parade and Family Day Committee with donations being taken at the door, raffles and lots more! Again this year there will not be any charge contestants to enter.

Contestants can register their interest by completing the entry form above and hitting submit . 2012 Gaels Got Talent Judges.

The committee have recruited three (3) judges who are familiar with the music industry. All judges are passionate about seeing amateur artists being given the opportunity to showcase their talent and are looking forward to seeing what the auditions hold in store.

2012 GGT Further Details
For further details please contact Kim on 0410 998 344 or email: entertainment@stpatricksday.org.au

The 2012 Sydney Irish Bachelor of the year event will be held on Saturday the 18th February 2012.

Ticket price includes 3 course meal with drinks package and entertainment from some of Sydney's most eligible Irish Bachelors.

Ticket price: $160.00 per person
Location: The Ivy Room - The Ivy, 320/330 George St, Sydney
Time:  6.30pm for a 7.00pm start

Purchase Bachelor of the Year Tickets here

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PLBV5DD

Have a great day !

Entries close Saturday 9th October 2010. Competition starts Saturday 16th October 2010. There will be three competition heats. The top three finalists from each heat will go through to the finals which will be held on Saturday 11th December 2010.

There are two categories best individual and best group.

Download the entry form here.

The Parade commences at midday and 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 Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade & Family Day comprises of an annual Parade. Our very own ‘St Patrick’ leads the Parade through the streets of Sydney. The title of ‘St Patrick’ has, over the years become a much-coveted role, each year members of the Irish Community in Sydney nominate a suitable representative to fulfil the role.  Every year the Parade entrants and spectators fill the streets of Sydney all shades of green and of course those dedicated Gaelic Football fans wear their county colours with pride.

The Parade will have over 70 floats and marching groups participating this year including County floats through to Irish sports organisation floats, Irish dancing school displays as well as a host of musical entertainment - and for those who missed this year’s Irish Bachelor of the Year Awards, all 11 bachelors will be on the Man Float!

Those at Town Hall will hear MCs tell the crowds about each of the floats, while Parade’s four judges - Sydney Swans AFL and Kerry GAA footballer Tadhg Kennelly; ARIA winner and pop sensation Damien Leith; Home and Away’s Lynn McGranger and Donna Campbell from Tourism Ireland - decide on the winning entry, which will be announced later in the day at the Hyde Park main stage.

The Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade & Family Day has a broad range of activities for the young and the young at heart.  Irish festivities take over the surroundings of Sydney’s Hyde Park for a day, where spectators can enjoy a range of traditional and modern Irish music performed from the main stage.  This year the crowds will enjoy Eleanor McEvoy as the headline act on the main-stage. McEvoy has been an international music sensation since her debut album in 1993 and the past year has seen this Irish songstress release her latest album ‘Love Must Be Tough’. Other acts on the day include Sydney’s musical favourites Blackwater and Achtung Baby – The Ultimate U2 Experience.  Irish dancers and set dancers are an important part of the festivities with several performances throughout the day showcasing the best of Irish culture. 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!

There is a designated children’s area in Hyde Park, where families with young children can enjoy learning about Irish culture and music through story-telling and a Bodhran workshop. Children can also enjoy face painting, bouncy castles, clowns, animal rides and music performances.

This year will also see Australian residents become Australian citizens in the annual citizenship ceremony held at Hyde Park. Many Irish people choose to take part in the citizenship ceremony at the Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade & Family Day as a way of recognising that although they are becoming Australian citizens, their Irish background will always be close to their hearts.

In 2009 over 100,000 participated in Sydney St Patrick’s Day celebrations and that figure is expected to increase for the 2010 Sydney St Patrick’s Parade & Family Day.

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.

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For more information please contact:

Marketing Manager

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.

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.

Ends

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