When I was growing up in Cleveland, St. Patrick’s Day had very low school attendance because every Duffy, O’Malley, Costello, and Reilly (unlike us lowly pedestrian last names) got to take the day off to go to the big parade. In case you were wondering, yes, this (along with being one of three first graders in my class who actually went to school when President George H.W. Bush came to my hometown) is still a source of indignation in my family.
I’m a proud American, but I, like most other Americans, have a European heritage. My dad’s dad’s family is Irish, his mom is Italian and my mom’s parents are about as blue-blood American as you can get. I’ll admit that while most of my cultural heritage growing up involved pasta and meatballs, on March 17 every year, I gladly embrace my Irish heritage to make up for all the Cleveland parades that I missed as a deprived child. Since March is when DC tends to get beautiful weather-wise, I thought I’d compile some fun ideas of some things for you to do this weekend to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
You’ll notice that none of these are actually in DC. While there are plenty of great Irish pubs in the District (Fado, The Dubliner, Kelly’s Irish Times, Irish Channel, Nanny O’Brien’s and Kitty O’Shea’s), I thought it would be fun to perhaps expand horizons outside of DC for this post. I hope this inspires you a bit as you make your plans for this weekend! Happy Tuesday!
Guinness Brewery
Did you know that there is another Guinness Brewery in the U.S. and that it’s right around the corner in Baltimore (right by BWI)? Now, before you tell me, “but I don’t really like Guinness,” hear me out. This is a concept brewery where they experiment with all kinds of beers. A Guinness brand IPA? You read correctly. A Guinness brand nut ale? Yup. I’m personally a fan of the Guinness Blonde, but there are tons of other options. Another fun part of the brewery is the food and amazing ambiance. The menu changes every few months, but the beer cheese is constant. Get it. You won’t be sorry. If you have an image of a brewery in your head, think again. Guinness is HUGE and the outdoor space is huger. Think multiple football fields huge. If the weather is nice, there is often outdoor music, fire pits, and more cornhole boards than you’ll ever know what to do with. It is SO fun and kid-friendly and I highly, highly recommend.
Oh, and the dessert shooters are great. And the gift shop is amazing. It’s kind of my go-to for guy gifts because who doesn’t love Guinness-brand swag?
Murphy’s Old Town Alexandria
Sigh, my original haunt was Old Town. It was the first place I lived in DC and will always and forever be a special place to me. My favorite place in all of Old Town, which is a fantastic place for St. Patrick’s Day, is Murphy’s Irish Pub. It’s fun any day of the year, but they manage to cultivate the best Irish musicians for St. Patrick’s Day. Their Irish beer selection is also amazing. For example, Kilkenny is really hard to find on tap and they have it! It’s one of my favorite beers. Also, their fish and chips is great (according to Jim–I don’t eat fish) and the ambiance can’t be better. It’s cozy and perfect when it’s blustery outside because there’s an actual wood burning fireplace. Yes please. Also, it’s fun to check out their collection of police badges. I haven’t found my hometown of Strongsville’s yet, but I’d be willing to bet it’s in there somewhere.
On St. Patrick’s Day, Murphy’s has a tent out back for overflow, Irish dancers, amazing music and more beer than you’ll know what to do with. I’ve done it many times and highly, highly recommend it. Be ready for a crowd, but it’s worth it.
Annapolis, MD
If you follow me on Instagram, you know I LOVE Annapolis. I work up there two days a week, and the highlight of my day is venturing down to the Dock to get some herbal tea at Bitty and Beau’s. While I’ll admit that I don’t venture up there all that much anymore for the night life now that I work there, I do know a thing or two about it.
There are some fantastic Irish Pubs in Annapolis and their origins are expounded upon in THIS interesting Annapolis Discovered post. Even though the Irish Pub trend in Annapolis really started in the 1990s (like most other parts of the country, for that matter), these are certainly worth checking out. There is some significant Irish history in Annapolis and I like to think that these places are a nod to that fact. Irish flags are flying all over downtown Annapolis and it is certainly worth checking out.
A few great spots are: O’Brien’s, McGarvey’s and Galway Bay. O’Brien’s and McGarvey’s are a stone’s throw from one another but Galway Bay is definitely worth the several-block walk as well. Galway Bay has a great beer and whiskey selection, McGarvey’s has an amazing environment and O’Brien’s is where you can let your hair down and just have a good time. I know there are other great Irish pubs in Annapolis as well but these are the ones I’ve had personal experience with and think it would be fun to do a little Irish pub crawl of sorts.
Well, the big day is only a week away and I hope you’ll be celebrating, even if you’re not the tiniest bit Irish. No matter what your heritage is, St. Patrick’s Day is sure to be a fun day and I hope you enjoy it as much as I plan to! Erin Go Braugh! (Ireland Until the End of Time!)
