The Star: March 19, 2020

Thursday March 19 2020 The Star
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
NEWS 17
St Patrick’s Day celebrated in style
• By Bea Gooding
Mike Poulter
ST PATRICK’S Day festivities
in Ireland may have been
cancelled, but that didn’t stop
Cantabrians from
heading to their
favourite Irish
pub on Tuesday to
celebrate.
Iconic Irish pubs
Bailie’s Bar and
The Bog had lively
crowds.
Edgeware resident
Mike Poulter
has
been going to
Bailie’s Bar for the
last few years and
said the coronavirus
outbreak did
not put him off
going to the bar
to celebrate, but
people were still
concerned about it
nonetheless.
“Since it’s not
here yet people
aren’t so worried
about coming
out, but last year
this place was
chockablock and
the turnout today is
nowhere near what
it used to be like,”
said Mr Poulter.
“I think it’s
[coronavirus] a
bigger threat than
we think, but until
something happens
here it’s not going to
put everyone off from celebrating
today.”
Social distancing guidelines in
Ireland forced bars and restaurants
to close days before St Patrick’s
Day for the next two weeks,
followed by the cancellations of
public parades and festivals.
Although this is not the case
yet here in New
Zealand, Mr
Poulter believed
many were bracing
themselves for
further restrictions
and potential selfisolation.
The Bog had
a lively crowd
on Tuesday with
many tables
filled, but patron
Rebecca Hawtin
noticed there were
fewer people than
usual and believed
coronavirus fears
were to blame.
“I’ve been here
in previous years
and there were a
lot more people,
so I do think it’s
had an impact
on the number of
people who have
turned up today,”
she said.
“In general I’ve
already noticed
in the last couple
of days a drop-off
in the number
of people on the
streets.”
Originally a
religious festival
for St Patrick
of Ireland, the
day commemorated the arrival
of Christianity in the country
and celebrates Irish heritage and
culture.
Peter Gamble
Rebecca Hawtin, Ann Kilgour and Cathleen Gey. Wyllow Bowers, 2
Niamh Mortimer-Semple from the O’Neill School of Irish Dance.
PHOTOS: GEOFF SLOAN
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