Lovers of all things Irish will appreciate the entertainment, food, memorabilia, and perhaps a hearty glass of Guinness for sustenance.

Festival president John McLoughlin hails from County Kildare, just south of Dublin. He and his mates did not realise they were starting a yearly celebration when they invited Irish Snowy Scheme workers to catch up during their 50th anniversary in 1999.

Mr McLoughlin said the festival now had committee members in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, the NSW Central Coast and Jindabyne.

This year organisers expect crowds of 6,000, a 50 per cent increase on 2009. Mr McLoughlin said after previous Irish Festivals, Jindabyne shopkeepers have only had praise for revellers.

Irish sport features heavily in the festivities with men’s and women’s hurling matches over the weekend. Hurling, called Camogie when the ladies play, is the fastest field sport in the world and resembles field hockey with a few twists.

The men’s Gaelic football match is a major attraction with NSW and Victoria vying for the Mick Bades Memorial Trophy. Mr McLoughlin said the festival owed a debt of gratitude to Mick Bades so his name was lent to this prestigious match.

“When we wanted to [hold an Irish festival] we never had a cent for it and Mick came in and got it off the ground,” Mr McLoughlin said.

“Mick raised money for virtually every organisation in Jindabyne. If anyone wanted to sell a raffle in Jindy, they went to Mick Bades,” he said.

Irish performers include Blackwater, George and the Unicorn, Joe Fitzgerald and Jimmy Mullarkey. Saturday and Sunday evening venues are the Lake Jindabyne Hotel, the Banjo Paterson and the Brumby Bar.

On Saturday morning at 10.30am there will be an Irish variety show in the Nuggets Crossing courtyard.