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Where Irish Eyes are Smiling
By Briana Easter
Lift a pint to celebrate St. Patrick at these pubs
You may have heard the saying “There are only two kinds of people in the world, the Irish and those who wish they were.” Well, whether a bit Irish or not, many of us will be raising our pints in celebration March 17 of the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick.
Guinness will be found on every tap, of course, but thirsty Yanks looking to break out of the norm can imbibe pints of O’Hara’s (at Rosie Connolly’s) or Magners Irish cider (at Capital Ale House) or Smithwick’s Irish ale (ask for a Smiddicks at Penny Lane Pub) — and don’t forget the whiskey!
Here are some best bets for St. Patty’s celebrations locally:
ROSIE CONNOLLY’S
Tommy Goulding, the grandson of the pub’s namesake, is dedicated to authenticity. As with many of the area pubs, the décor — including tables and chairs — has been imported from across the pond. From the dark woodwork and stained glass to the miniature pics of old-time signs that would hang outside pub doors, you’ll experience true Irish pub atmosphere at Rosie’s.
1548-A E. Main Street, rosieconnollys.com, 804-343-1063
SINE IRISH PUB & RESTAURANT
Located in Richmond’s historic Shockoe Slip, Sine (pronounced Shin-ay) offers a spacious bar, with some cozy corners. As Sine’s website will tell you, the pub lives up to its Gaelic name — “This is it!”
1327 E. Cary Street, sineirishpub.com, 804-649-7767
O’TOOLE’S RESTAURANT & PUB
Join the regulars at this long-standing neighborhood pub for “St. Practice Day” on the 17th of every month. The bar offers specials on Irish beers and shots of Jameson and classic grub like fish and chips and shepherd’s pie.
4800 Forest Hill Avenue, otoolesrestaurant.com, 804-233-1781
PENNY LANE PUB
Hunker down with a pint to watch a bit of football (European-style) in this down-to-earth bar. And you can’t beat its token system: Buy a pint, get a token. Use one token in exchange for a free half pint or double up for a free full pint.
421 E. Franklin Street, pennylanepub.com, 804-780-1682
CAPITAL ALE HOUSE
You won’t find green beer mucking up the brew served at Capital Ale House. “It ruins the taste,” Cori Atkinson, manager of the downtown location, states simply. Instead, patrons can enjoy traditional Irish dishes, such as Irish stew, from a set menu. With more than 40 beers on tap, it’s doubtful the festive food dye will be missed.
3 Richmond locations, capitalalehouse.com, 804-780-2537
Cheers! But remember, no drinking and driving.
And don’t forget to don green to avoid a pinching. IB
Briana Easter, one of Boomer’s researchers, is a technical writer and freelance editor in Newport News.
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