It was a story NY1’s “Mornings On 1” anchor Pat Kiernan couldn’t resist: a photography exhibit featuring people named Patrick or Paddy.

Pitched in an email on the day before St. Patrick’s Day, the project aims to break down stereotypes by taking back the name “Paddy,” which is often used as a derogatory nickname for an Irishman.

Photographer and cinematographer Ross O’Callaghan set about doing so by capturing 50 portraits – of 50 people diverse in age, background, ethnicity and sexuality – named Paddy.

He said the project challenges tired tropes often associated with being an Irishman.

“Everyone has a story,” O’Callaghan said of the people photographed in the exhibit. “Some of them are well known Paddys, some famous Paddys, but I’m all about people who aren’t famous and aren’t known. They all have a really good story too. So we have 50 of them here in New York and I’d love for people to come down and read about these stories.”

“To go and take a nice portrait,” O’Callaghan added, “pictures of each of these Paddys, accompany it with a bit of the story of their lives and basically challenge that stereotype that there is no such thing as a typical Paddy.”

A lot of the subjects of the project came to New York to be part of the unveiling of the photos on Thursday.

Kiernan met more than a few of them, including 12-year-old Paddy Scott. His grandfather races pigeons, so he was photographed in a bird cage.

There was also Paddy Bradley. In the photos, they call him Paddy the architect, but he’s also Paddy the farmer.

And then there’s Paddy Mulcahy, a 27-year-old musician who agreed to pose for a photo not really knowing where it would lead.

“It’s amazing to see it actually come to fruition and come to Pershing Plaza here where there’s all these fantastic portraits on display,” Mulcahy said.

The “Paddy Irishman” photo exhibit is on display in Pershing Square, just south of Grand Central, until March 22.