Australia's Irish descendants, other residents mark St. Patrick's Day

Thousands of Australians with Irish ties took the day off work to celebrate an ancient tradition on Tuesday.

Saint Patrick's Day is an annual event which unites the Irish people and is traditionally celebrated with music, dancing, food, beer and whisky.

Australia has a deep Irish ancestral history and Saint Patrick' s Day is one of the most celebrated days of the year.

"We've had dancing, music and Guiness being drunk since 7 a.m. today," said Mick Comerford of Sydney's Mercantile pub.

It is the oldest established and run Irish pub in Australia and annually hosts the biggest event in the culture's most important day.

Irish musician Kevin Kelly, who lives in Sydney, said St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the Australian were huge because of the close Irish connection in Australia.

Kelly told Xinhua that he had been extremely busy performing Irish music with his band during his country's national day celebrations.

"I've had 15 performances since Sunday, and tonight (Tuesday) is my last show. St. Patrick's Day is a big event in Sydney and all over Australia because there is something like 40 percent of people here have an Irish connection," he said.

"I'm always busy this time of the year. It's like our Christmas. "

Irish people tend to leave the idea of time behind when it comes to a party.

Hence St. Patrick's Day started on Sunday in Sydney with a major parade before going into overdrive on Tuesday when the actual celebration should take place.

Saint Patrick was the man who introduced the tiny island over- flowing with characters to Christianity 385 years after Jesus Christ died.

In the mid-19th century the Irish were at the heart of Australia's growth and have always been working class people.

They remain so in Australia. Young Irish expatriates and travelers are most often found on construction sites where their Irish network of friends finds them employment.

They are both the Catholic faith also Protestant Christian faiths.

But this led to fierce and deadly wars, especially in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s when scores of innocents were killed in sectarian terrorist bombings by the Irish Republican Army. Endi