INVERCARGILL

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12, 25 March 1909, Page 455

INVERCARGILL

(From our own correspondent.)

The celebration of St. Patricks Day in Invercargill was an unqualified success. The weather was perfect, and as a consequence the Irish Athletic Society's twenty-third annual gathering attracted some 5000 people to the new Union grounds. The meeting was a record one in every way, over £200 being taken at the gates. The Irish Athletic Society needs no introduction to readers of the Tablet. In the course of a very lengthy and exhaustive report, the Southland Times says: 'It can be said without in any way overstepping the bounds of modesty that the Irish Society's meeting in Invercargill is, for cash sprinting events, the most important athletic fixture in the Dominion:' One cf the most interesting events, on the programme proved to be the Schools Relay Race of one mile, for teams from primary schools composed of four boys under 14 years of age. Seven of the Southland schools had entered teams for the "race, which, the Southland Times says, ' aroused a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, the interest taken in the performance of the schoolboys being one of the features of the gathering. 5 The Marist Brothers 5 No. 1 team, which included P. Shepherd, T. Morris, J. Downey, and F. Graham, was successful. The green jerseys led from start to finish, each boy increasing the lead, the last one winning by nearly a lap. The prize was four gold medals and pennant, to be held by the school for the year. The Clifton School secured second place. This is the second year in succession that the Marist boys have held the pennant. During the afternoon the Hibernian Band played a choice selection of items. The most successful gathering ever held under tho auspices of the Invercargill Irish Athletic Society terminated about 6 o'clock.

What the programmes described as a great Hibernian Night took place in the Victoria Hall on Wednesday evening. The proceedings took the form of a concert, to which the following contributed : Miss Violet Mclntosh, A.T.C.L., sang ' Kathleen Mavourneen,' ' Allan water,' and ' Three fishers went sailing ' ; Miss Richards, ' Killarney ' and Husheen ' ; Miss Kompton, •* Irish lullaby ' ; Mr. H. Richards, ' The devout lover ' ; Mr. Churton, ' To-morrow will be Friday 5 and ' The sweetest flower that grows ' ; Mr. D. Silvester, 'Off to Philadelphia 5 and ' When the ebb tide flows.' Mr. T. Pound recited ' Shiel's reply to Lord Lyndhurst,' and ' The game of life ' as an encore, and Mr, J. Molloy contributed ' Fontenoy ' in a spirited manner. The Hibernian Band opened up the programme with ' Melodies of old Ireland. 5 Miss Bonner and Mr. Robinson acted as accompanists during the evening. The proceedings were most enthusiastic, nearly every item being encored.