Tourism Ireland is renowned as the tourist office in Sydney that knows how to throw a party and not only did the TI team [Pictured right: from left, Sue, Orla, Caroline and Monica – Siobham was missing mixing Jamison Cocktails – see her pic below!] do so last night at the Maritime Museum kicking off their St Patrick’s Day Celebration, but they also launched a must see visually and socially stunning photographic exhibition by famous Irish photographer Bill Doyle, with the exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum running until mid-September.

Bill Doyle’s emotive images of the harsh fisherman’s life on Ireland’s rugged coastline provide a miniscule insight into the lives of what are described as the “Currach Folk”, of whom it is said that life was so tough and the currach that they went fishing in so fragile compared to the power of the ocean, that they did not bother learning to swim because if they capsized and the currach sank, swimming would only prolong the agony before they drowned. 

A currach formed the centre stage of proceedings with the calm, placid waters of Sydney Harbour in sharp contrast to those of the often harsh, cold seas around Ireland!

[Pictured: Glenn A Baker and currach owner and Irish Australian Paddy McDonals unveil the currach]

Tourism Ireland Australia chief and head leprechaun Monica Nereny assembled her Sydney team to celebrate with Ireland’s Consul General in Sydney, Patrick Scullion doing the honours in launching the exhibition and the evening’s celebration with Australia’s tourism industry leaders and media in attendance.

The festivities celebrating St Patrick’s Day, as covered in TravelMole yesterday and earlier this week, continue today with an Irish Village in the heart of Sydney in Martin Place, including an Irish Pub, music and heaps of great “craic” and the dash of Guinness and Jamison’s, here and there!

In the meantime, I just need to remind the Irish that St Patrick was a Welshman from the West Coast of Wales, where was kidnapped by the Irish and taken to Ireland – so as a Welshman it is a great honour for us Welsh that as chose a Welshman as your patron Saint.

The Ireland party last night also saw the presentation of the Tourism Ireland journalist awards for journalists who have featured Ireland with creativity and innovation with winners, journalists John Barton and Graham Blundell receiving Waterford Crystal and a cheque for $1000 each for their outstanding journalistic work on Ireland in Australia. [Pictured: Graham Blundell receives his Award from Consul General Scullion and Olra Saul of Tourism Ireland]

The Tourism Ireland Photo Diary!

[Tourism Ireland’s Siobhan – the only team member not in the shot above because she was busy working, mixes Jamison Cocktails – yes I said Jamison Cocktails and they were fantastic!

[Stewart Willliams: Globus, Ken Triffit: Thai Airways and Phillip Wright: Around The World Golf, discuss that elusive “hole in one”!

[Carlson Marketing’s Graham Boon, discusses Irish strategy with the boss, Angie Jerdee]

[James Dunn: Singapore Airlines and Jill Varley: Quorum – “now what about that first class upgrade James?]

[Caroline Brunel of Tourism Ireland and Tasman Cassim of Zuji get connected]

[Bill McNamara tries a little of the blarney on Jacqui Walshe]

A Report by The Mole