Katikati-Irish link furthered with visit

Irish visitors at Katikati Primary School. Photo / Supplied

‘‘The most Irish place in all of New Zealand” needs to shared back home, says Irish Rugby Football Union president Des Kavanagh.

''The most Irish place in all of New Zealand" needs to be shared back home, says Irish Rugby Football Union president Des Kavanagh.

The All Blacks may have lost the rugby series to Ireland at the weekend, but Katikati is quite partial to its Irish roots.

Katikati's Irish connection was further enhanced recently when the Irish Rugby Football Union's president visited ''the most Irish place in New Zealand'' early this month.

Katikati Primary School was on the itinerary again after Ireland Embassy of New Zealand's Peter Ryan visited the school in June and spoke to the children about the strong Irish-New Zealand connection and (then) upcoming battle between the All Blacks and Ireland. The school was once attended by rugby legend David Gallaher.

This time around, Katikati was visited by Irish Rugby Football Union president Des Kavanagh with wife Marie and Kathy O'Beirne, whose husband Tony is the Leinster Club representative on the Irish Rugby Football Union committee.

It was the first visit to New Zealand for all three and they were on the Ireland/All Blacks rugby tour.

The visit started with an official welcome at David's old school and the mural, his old house, on to Katikati Rugby Club, stopping to get a photo with Moore Park's massive rugby ball and finishing at Western Bay Museum.

Steve Graveson said the Ulster connection and the special link with David Gallaher was evident ''as Des, Marie and Kathy had all visited David's birthplace Ramelton, Letterkenny, so seeing the next part of his story was very important and touching''.

Des acknowledged the special link with Katikati being New Zealand's most Irish place and said the link needs to be further developed, encouraged, and shared back home in Ireland.

''They were thoroughly enjoying the rugby tour, with the trip to Katikati for the day, being one of the highlights,'' Steve says.

At the time, the team had hoped for at least one win against the mighty All Blacks. Instead, Ireland claimed a historic series win over All Blacks with 32-22 victory in Wellington.