It doesn’t take much to twist someone’s arm to grab a pint of Guinness for St. Paddy’s Day. On March 17, Charlotte will become green — not from banks or envy, but for the Irish and wannabe Irish. In honor of the Emerald Isle and all things Irish, expect to see a lot of green: green beer, green bagels, green cookies.
Up at the Lake, owner Chris Boukedes (yeah he’s Greek, but he drinks Irish) of the Galway Hooker Irish Pub has planned an all-day event serving Guinness beginning at 9am and ending at 2am. On hand will be a leprechaun, bagpipers, a 20-foot television (tuned to the basketball games) and other live music. This year a private dining area is set aside upstairs (tickets $100 per person) where “folks can avoid or join the madness downstairs as they want.” Food will include corned beef and traditional bread pudding. But Galway offers foods from other islands as well — such as Jerk Chicken from the Irish in Jamaica.
Galway Hooker Irish Pub, 17044 Kenton Drive, Cornelius, 704-895-1782.
Also at the lake is the Irish Cue, which is more of a music bar than a traditional Irish bar. On the 17th you can consume beer, of course, and beer-braised corned beef and cabbage, garlic mashed potatoes, turnips, glazed carrots and parsnips beginning at noon for $6. Live music as well.
Irish Cue, 19501 Highway 73, 704-892-6904.
As is tradition, Third Ward’s Hartigan’s Irish Pub will serve corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie (beef), beef stew, green beer and Shamrock shooters. Or you could just drink beer, shoot darts and eat their famous turtle brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, caramel and whipped cream.
Hartigan’s Irish Pub, 601 South Cedar St., 704-347-1841.
The food at Tyber Creek Pub is not Irish. It’s traditional bar food: Buffalo wings, nachos, dips and quesadillas. However, on Saint Paddy’s day, Tyber will have a tent on the patio and run an Irish menu as well. On Friday Charlotte’s Irish Pipers, the Ceol na Gael, will perform.
Tyber Creek Pub 1933 South Blvd., 704-343-2727.
After the parade on Saturday, the Ceol na Gael will play at Connelly’s on Fifth, an Irish pub in the true sense. No food here so it’s members only.
Connelly’s on Fifth Pub, 115 E. 5th St., 704-358-9070.
No need for fake green at Ri-Ra. I’m not sure you could dye Guinness anyway. On the menu at this favorite Irish pub, whose interior was actually shipped to Charlotte from Dublin, are beef and Guinness pie, bangers and mash, fish and chips, and corned beef and cabbage. Their breakfast menu, served all day, includes an Irish breakfast with black pudding. Special music is planned as well. St. Paddy’s Day is Ri-Ra’s eighth anniversary party.
Ri-Ra The Irish Pub, 208 N Tryon St., 704-333-5554.
This article appears in Mar 15-21, 2006.
