Two Irishmen walk into a bar, graffiti their details

What began like a bad joke about two Irishmen walking into a bar ended with the pair missing their flight home and being arrested for graffiting pub property - with their names and details.

The two 27-year-old men were arrested on Saturday morning for allegedly defacing Queenstown's Pog Mahones Irish Bar with a permanent marker on Friday night.

Sergeant Steve Watt of Queenstown Police told NZPA the two "quite intoxicated" men had scribbled "basically wherever they could put it", including on walls, tables, glasses and windows, but were now very remorseful.

The graffiti included thank-you notes, pictures of male genitalia and the men's details, the Southland Times reported.

The men were arrested at the airport the next day and charged with wilful damage.

They would appear in Queenstown District Court tomorrow, Mr Watt said.

Around $1700 damage was caused and police would be seeking reparation.

The men were due to fly to Auckland on Saturday and back to Ireland yesterday but their plans were on hold until their court case was completed.

Mr Watt said if they sought diversion tomorrow, they would be free to leave once the diversion conditions were completed.

- NZPA