Community
10 April, 2026
Flying the flag for Koroit
THE tiny village with an Irish heartbeat has taken another step to enhance its claim as Australia’s most Irish town.
Ahead of its famed Irish Festival on May 1-3, Koroit has claimed the title of ‘Koroit - the 33rd County.’
And to lock that honour in, Koroit has come up with its very own Irish County flag.
Flags and the Koroit Irish Festival have long lived together - each year the 32 Irish County flags fly proudly in the town.
They stoke Irish pride in all as they march down the main street in all their glory for the festival’s street procession.
And this year, there’ll be a 33rd flag flying.
“As a festival and as a town we are just so proud of our Irish heritage,” festival committee member Jess Moloney said.
“I’m relatively new to the town and the festival but that community pride and the Irishness draws you in immediately.
“It’s an amazing feeling and I think that’s what makes the festival such a fun and happy place to be.
“And all the committee are volunteers, it’s a big job but a badge of honour at the same time.”
The 2026 festival will be the 30th staging of the annual event, with patrons expected to swell Koroit’s population from 2000 to 5000.
The festival will feature great Irish music, but is also known for its quirky and everyone-can-join-in activities.
These include a mad cow stampede (a race in cow outfits), an en masse performance of the Rock the Boat dance, the Australian Danny Boy Championship, the Australian Split the G Championship, the Spud Trilogy - picking, peeling and eating competitions, the Flaming Folk Person of the Year, and more.
“Everyone loves the Irish, and everyone loves our festival because it is just so much fun,” festival president Adele MacDonald said.
“Times are tough for many and we just want to be that place they come to and smile for the whole weekend.”
The festival ambassador for 2026 is Barry Brody, a lifelong Koroit man who has contributed greatly to the success of the festival.
Mr Brody is part of the Irish immigrant story, his parents leaving Ireland, only to find their own piece of home on the other side of the world.
“Barry is an absolute Koroit legend, we are so looking forward to honouring him,” Ms MacDonald said.
The Koroit Irish Festival will run from May 1-3.
