Hundreds of Irish people wearing their county colours are to converge on Australia's Bondi Beach to celebrate Christmas Day thousands of miles away from home.
Sydney's large Irish community will enjoy a barbecue on the sands rather than the usual turkey dinner.
Fr Alan Hilliard, chairman of the Emigrant Advice Network (EAN) and director of the Catholic Bishops' Emigrant Agency, said the event was likely to be a great success. "It's an example of wonderful camaraderie, it's a great way to emphasise and share Irish cultural identity."
Speaking about Irish emigrants around the world, he said Christmas was tinged with sadness for some who were thousands of miles from loved ones and unable to return home.
Fr Hilliard said Christmas Day could be an incredibly lonely time for those who are away from home and have fallen on hard times. "It can be a terribly lonely day, especially for people who rely on social welfare.
"A lot of the agencies close on Christmas Day and people can be left with nowhere to go on a day which most of us share with our families."
He said there was a need for information and advice for prospective emigrants. "Ireland's changed economic circumstances in recent times has allowed us to enjoy extraordinary levels of wealth creation and this in turn has thankfully reduced our rates of involuntary emigration.
"However, the development of pre-departure information and advice and the hazards of unprepared emigration need to be constantly highlighted."
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Ahern, travelled to London last week to meet voluntary groups working with vulnerable Irish people.
He said he had gone to London "to meet the groups working at the coalface with our vulnerable people".
"I wanted to emphasise also that this is an important area of national policy, which is being given high priority by the Government."
Mr Ahern said funding for emigrant services next year would be double the amount originally allocated for 2004 "and organisations in Britain will receive some €7m during 2005".
"This very significant figure will represent an increase in funding of 60 per cent over 2004. It is the highest sum ever allocated to emigrant services in Britain." - (PA)