ABOUT US

The Waikato Irish society is an inclusive organisation which endeavors to connect Irish people throughout the Waikato and showcase our Irish heritage within the community.

ABOUT US

The Waikato Irish Society was Incorporated in 1984 but the Irish have been in the Waikato for a long time. Over the past decade it’s been an important point of contact for the many Irish families around the region from Thames in the Coromandel to Te Kuiti in the south, with St Patricks Day & the Rose of Tralee being a large part of this culture. As you drive around the many towns like Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Morrinsville and Matamata you meet families whose ancestors arrived in the late 1800’s and they keep coming. Irish from a variety of backgrounds and professions including doctors, farmer’s, teachers, and nurses. Some like myself have married a kiwi while they were on their OE, and have settled here to raise a family who are proud to wear the green and black.


As you wander down by the Waikato River in Hamilton you see a plaque dedicated to Teresa Vowless an Irish immigrant, who while arriving on a boat gave her baby to a friend and made a splash into local history by being the first white woman ashore. After her Husband died, she raised her eight children by herself and kept her 50-acre farm going. Our local historian Cathy O'Shea-Farrant did a wonderful paper on Irishtown in Hamilton East 1864-1940 which is full of valuable information and available via the Waikato University website.


In more recent years the community is booming with two Irish dancing schools, a Gaelic football club and a host of musical talent. The Link to Ireland is stronger than ever with Irish farming companies on show at the Field days and many of the finest Waikato rugby players proud to wear the green of Ireland as they reach new heights. Sure, on a good day you can bump into a few ex Ireland coaches at the beach in Waihi or having a coffee in Cambridge. So, here’s to the future and keeping the Waikato Green. 

Our Commitee

John Davis

President

Born in St Margaret’s, North County Dublin (Just out the back of Dublin Airport), I moved to London in the early 90’s where I worked in a few Irish pubs before meeting my future Kiwi wife Gaye. I then joined the Royal engineers for 6 years serving In Bosnia and around the world. We got married in London in 1999 before I left the army and we spent a while backpacking back to NZ via Africa & South America before settling down in Cambridge. I started working for Hamilton City Council while doing up our house and having three little girls, Eva, Aimee & Kate. We then moved to Newstead and an older house on a few acres before having our son Thomas & starting my own Surveying Business. I love all sports and have played soccer, rugby & returned to playing gaelic football with our Waikato Club Naomh Cristoir were I coach the men’s team.


Stepping into the role of Waikato Irish Society President I felt it needed a boost with so many Irish family’s both new and older in the wider Waikato. I hope to grow it and support the many other Irish groups in the community and give us something to show how proud we are to be Irish & Kiwis.



Trisha Pauley

Treasurer



Having grown up the baby of 9 on a farm on the Carlow/Wicklow border life was never dull.  I left Ireland after the leaving cert, studying in Glasgow and working in England where I met my now husband.  We moved to Hamilton in 2009 and have 3 children. 


I enjoy the connections and craic with the Irish community and hoping the culture is embedded within our next generations.



Alan Conniff

Secretary



Originally from Cork, I have lived in various parts of Ireland including Dublin and Belfast. I moved with my family to Aotearoa in 2018 and settled in Kirikiriroa- Hamilton shortly after. 

I really value the sense the community within the Irish society. It's a comfort to eat Taytos & drink Barry's with like minded folks. 


Love playing music and can be found in Biddy's playing in the session on the first Friday of the month. 


The Waikato Irish Society is for everyone and anyone in the Waikato who wants to be in touch with their Irish roots, no matter how deep they run. 


Get in touch & get involved.


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