The green of Irish music will help gather gold tomorrow night for a Masterton under-13 rugby team raising $23,000 for a trip to Australia.
Fundraising spokeswoman Michelle Gibbons said a wealth of businesses and individuals in the town had helped with fundraising for the Masterton Red Star Rugby Club side and promotion company Up With People was the latest to "come on board" with a profit-sharing offer involving a performance from the Irish band Shenanigans at King Street Live on Saturday - ahead of St Patrick's Day on Tuesday.
A team of 22 Red Star players and almost as many parents were aiming to travel to Brisbane on a sports exchange in July, Ms Gibbons said, which will include a couple of days on the Gold Coast "for a bit of fun" as well.
"All of the boys and their parents and lots of local businesses have supported us with prizes and other help. It's been hard work but we've raised about $18,000 to date, so we're well on the way."
The group had run a quiz night, sold firewood and raffles, and held numerous sausage sizzles since fundraising started last season, she said, for a trip that will also farewell some of the teammates who had been playing together for the club for most of the past decade.
