Koroit Irish Festival
The Koroit Irish Festival began in 1997 and was the braichildren of Maurice Molan who at the time was Koroit’s representative on the Moyne Shire Council. Maurice Molan and a group of close friends began the festival with the first two years held in High Street Koroit.
In 1999 the festival moved to its current home in the heart of the town, Commercial Road. The move proved a winner showcasing the towns centre with the Village Green and the Koroit Theatre the main music venues. In 1998 the festival hosted the Australian Danny Boy Championships for the first, an event which has become a signiture of the festival.
The festival prides itself on providing great Irish music and putting Koroit and its proud Irish heritage on show for all to see. In 2011 an estimated crowd of 2000 came through the gates on the Saturday of the festival to celebrate Koroit’s big day.
When? 26 -29 April, 2012
Where? Koroit, VIC. Koroit is located three hours fom Melbourne and 10 minutes from both Warrnambool and Port Fairy. Vline runs daily services to and from Melbourne.
Tickets? In 2011 tickets were $12!
Who & What? 2012 TBA. - Music. Dance. Comedy. Poetry. Street Procession.
Festival Website? Koroit Irish Festival
About Koroit?
Koroit’s claim as the Irish heartland of Australia is not made lightly. Koroit’s current population of around 1500 people is still dominated by families of Irish decent with Irish names common throughout the township. The town, which is located at the foot of the dormat Tower Hill volcano 10 minutes either side of Warrnambool and Port Fairy, was first settled in 1857.
The rich volanic farmlad of the area draw Irish potato farmers to Koroit who had fled the famine and couldn’t believe their luck to find a piece of Ireland in their new country. The Koroit township has close neighbours in the farming hamlets of Crossley and Killarney whose back lanes and green fields are as Irish as anythig the Emerald Isle can offer. Potatoes, carrots and dairy cows still grow under and on top of the rich soil around Koroit and there is even a Blarney Stone at Killarney visitors can kiss. Come to Koroit and enjoy slice of Ireland in our Green and Pleasant Land!
