John Fitzpatrick with Nicholas, 6, and Alannah Bell, 10, at the Dahlia and Arts Festival family fun day. Picture: Jodie Donnellan
JOHN Fitzpatrick's St Pat's Day hat has a story of its own to tell.
The 80-year-old Eaglehawk resident is wearing a green hat, dotted with clovers, today to mark the Irish celebration."
There's a bit of a tale that goes with this hat," Mr Fitzpatrick said.
"A friend of mine got it from an Irish shop in San Francisco.
"When he got on the plane to fly out that's when an earthquake hit and flattened the Irish shop where he'd purchased it.
"It was one of the last hats to make it out of the shop.
"That was about 10 years ago."
Mr Fitzpatrick is sporting his cherished hat and a pair of green trousers today at the Dahlia Arts Festival's Family Day in Eaglehawk.
He posed for a photo with Alannah Bell, 10, and her brother Nicholas, 6, who are also wearing green to mark St Pat's Day.