Watch as Wollongong kicks up its heels to go green for St Patrick's Day

If there's one place to be on March 17 to celebrate St Patrick's Day in Wollongong, then Dicey Riley's Hotel is it.

Bevan Patrick Fermor is a firm fixture for the celebration, and the Mercury caught up with as he ate traditional Irish fare washed down with a pint of Guinness.

The 86-year-old may live in the Illawarra but he's Irish and heart, and was proudly wearing his green suit, complete with green shirt, bow tie, and bowler hat topped with a green ribbon, of course.

This year's celebration is even better than last year's, he said, and the suit has a lot to do with that.

"I grew out of it, but then I grew back into it," he laughed.

Dicey Riley's licensee George Poulos - a Greek man who married an Irish woman - said he loves everything about the Irish religious and cultural holiday.

"I've been doing the day for 10 years and it's always fun and a very friendly community. Everyone gets into the spirit of it all," he said.

Crowds arrived early to celebrate, with 120 Irish breakfasts served up to the early starters.

Live music was on stage from 11am with a line up of three traditional Irish music bands, three rock bands and Irish dancers.

Following a rousing set by The New Shamrocks on stage singing everything from Whisky in the Jar to hits from The Corrs, dancers from the Blackbird Academy of Irish Dance showed off their skills.

Five-year-old Thelma McKnight Windle, who is a keen Irish dancer was there with her family and was keen to see the professionals in action.

"I like it because you get to skip," she said.

Other than the great craic and atmosphere, the best part of St Patrick's Day, Mr Poulos said, is "how the Irish back up no matter what the weather and still have fun".

Patrick was not actually Irish, according to experts.

Born in the late fourth century, he was captured as an adolescent and ended up enslaved in Ireland.

He escaped to another part of Europe where he was trained as a priest and returned to Ireland in the fifth century to promote the spread of Christianity. Keep reading.