With Australia home to all of the top 10 most venomous snakes in the world, even St Patrick would have his work cut out here. After the parade, which is held on the Sunday closest to the day itself, spectators withdraw to their favourite Irish theme bar to either sympathise, empathise or eulogise about genealogy or home or how the Guinness isn't the same here, all over a liquid lunch lasting well into the evening. This year, I'll be working on the 17th, in the Intensive Care Unit of the Royal Prince Albert Hospital near the city centre. Ironically, the hospital owes its existence to an Irishman by the name of O'Farrell, who managed to shoot Prince Albert while he was on a tour to Sydney. The small medical centre which provided speedy extrication of the bullet was endowed with money towards its development. It's now one of the major hospitals here.
I'm planning to see Lunasa at the Basement Club in Circular Quay with some friends for the night where there'll be a bottle in front of me instead of a frontal lobotomy. Then back to work the next day - hopefully there won't be any snake bites to treat.
David Green (35) is an anaesthetist and intensive care physician. He has lived in Sydney for two years.
