On St Patrick’s in 1921, a sports day was held at Newtown Park to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. The event was organised by the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society who had permission to charge entry to the park. Distinguished visitors were Archbishops Redwood and O’Shea, and Dean Regnault of Christchurch.
There was a sports programme, dancing and sideshows.
‘The ‘piece de resistance’ was a spectacular display of physical drill by some thousands of children from various Catholic schools’.
The children, who were all neatly attired, formed themselves into a ‘living shamrock’ and waved coloured flags. This was arranged by Brother Eusebius, principal of the Marist Brothers’ School, Thorndon.
The Most Rev Francis Redwood, S.M., D.D, Archbishop and Metropolitan of New Zealand, was born in 1839 in Staffordshire. His family emigrated to Nelson in 1842. At the age of 15 he decided to enter the Catholic Church and left for France in the same year for his studies. He was consecrated in St Ann’s Marist Church, Spitalfields, London in 1874 and was appointed Bishop of Wellington. He founded St Patrick’s College in 1885 and opened St Patrick’s College Silverstream in 1931. In 1887 he was created Archbishop.
Archbishop Redwood died in 1935 in Wellington, aged 95.
Plot: Archdiocesan Priests [ROM CATH]/Z/204-1
Photo courtesy of the Auckland Libraries Collections ‘Auckland Weekly News’ 24.03.21
