Koroit Irish Festival will host the inaugural 'What Is Australia's Most Irish Name?' competition

"It's a world-first event and like everything else at the festival, it will be so much fun," festival president Adele MacDonald said.

"Festival ticket-holders are being asked to email us and nominate themselves or family and friends if they think they have the most Irish name.

"We sent the email out on Tuesday morning and we already have had a flood of entries. That's the beauty of the Koroit Irish Festival, you just don't come and watch, you can be a real part of what is happening.

"Our festival ambassador Leeanne Parkinson and famous Koroit Irishman Mick McGoldrick will be the judges, with the winner announced at the festival."

The new competition will join the Australian Danny Boy Championship as national titles up for grabs at the April 29-May 1 festival.

Another new event for 2022 will be the inaugural Song of the Festival, with 'The Rattlin' Bog' chosen for that honour. Each act at the festival will perform the song, while lyric sheets will be handed out on the day to patrons and they are also on the festival website to ensure plenty of singing along.

Mrs MacDonald said the introduction of these two new events was another step forward in making the festival as authentically Irish as possible.

"We want people to come along and feel like they are in Ireland," she said. "And we want to be original, we want people to come to the festival for a fun and unique experience."

The festival has a 'Flaming Folk Parade' honouring red-heads and for the first time last year held 'A Gathering of Green Eyes'.

This will return for 2022 with Koroit resident Mary Harry chosen as the poster-person. Mrs Harry has spent all her 78 years in Koroit and worked at the Koroit Kindergarten for 32 years.

"Mary is such a legend of the town, she guided generations of Koroit kids in their formative years," Mrs MacDonald said.

Tickets for the Koroit Irish Festival must be booked online at the festival website