St Patrick – big in Japan, plentiful in Kilrush

IT seems that St Patrick is big in Japan, where his replica garb is more easily found than in Ireland.
That has been the tale recounted by organisers of a Guinness World Record bid in Kilrush. In recent days, they have secured 200 St Patrick costumes which, if worn on Thursday week, will set a world record for the highest amount of St Patrick’s spotted mingling in the one area.
Acquiring the suits though wasn’t straightforward. Ian Lynch, who is part of the organising committee, has been trawling internet sites at all hours in an effort to secure the costumes. Eventually, he found a manufacturer, albeit thousands of miles away. 
“They’re being made out in Japan but there’s no one in Ireland that deals with the manufacturer. There is a company in England that deals with them, so they bought the suits from the Japanese company and then we  buy them from them,” Mr Lynch explained.
He didn’t deny that obtaining the national saint’s costumes was somewhat circuitous. “It was the most roundabout thing we ever came across. Torture,” he said.
Mr Lynch insists he tried to buy the suits a bit closer to home but to no avail. “We couldn’t get them. The only thing we could buy was a bishop’s costume, which would have cost an absolute fortune,” he added.
As of this week, 100 people have registered to join the world record attempt in Kilrush on March 17.  
“Anyone that registers beforehand is guaranteed a suit. If they haven’t registered, it’ll be first-come-first-served on the day,” Mr Lynch pointed out.
Setting the world record sounds like it should be straightforward enough.
“We’ll just gather 200 St Patricks in the square after registration from 12. We’ll take plenty photographs and record it. We’ll also get someone to go up on top of the town hall to take a photo looking down,” he said.
The 200 St Patricks won’t be allowed to immediately whip off their green cape though. They will be expected to take part in a 5km, run, walk, crawl or cycle from the town square to Cappa via the Killimer road and back to the square. 
“We’ll have 200 St Patricks roaming around the road. We should have the very last of them in by 2.30pm and then the vintage rally will start at about 2.45 with the main St Patrick’s Day parade at 3pm,” he stated, hoping that St Patrick will be plentiful in Kilrush on his national day.