Pints of Guinness, would-be leprechauns, music that boasts the glory of the Republic and parades filled with once-a-year Irish are part of the tradition that is St. Patrick's Day in Pittsburgh. But sometimes, reality makes tradition turn a paler shade of green. This year, St. Patrick's Day is being celebrated at its usual assortment of halls and clubs. In the meantime, though, two establishments are looking at their first encounter with the Celtic form of March Madness. "If you're going to be an Irish pub, you have to be open for St. Patrick's Day," says Sean McGranaghan, manager of Finnegan's Wake, new to the North Shore, a block from PNC Park. "We keep hearing about all the crowds," says Pat Schipani, owner of Paddys' Pour House in Carnegie, which is going into its first St. Patrick's Day under its new name and ownership. Formerly Sullivan's Pour House and Murphy's Pour House before Schipani took charge in August, he says some of his acquaintances were worried the Italian-named owner would not maintain the pub's Gaelic heritage. "But how can you take over an Irish pub and not keep it that way?" says Schipani, Irish on his mother's side. He has been thrilled at the crowds he's been getting with the Irish food that goes along with standard bar fare. He has performers Friday and Saturday evenings and is hoping weather for Saturday's parade day celebration and Monday's holiday will be good enough that he can use the outdoor seating in the back. It's even a bigger event at Finnegan's, which opened Feb. 28. McGranaghan hopes this is the weekend many Lovers of the Green discover Finnegan's Wake, which blends new and old. For instance, one end features the Quiet Man Pub - named after the John Wayne film. It has a bar imported from the Republic showing some cracks of age. A slick sound system carries Irish music to the other end with a dart board - of the electronic nature. The long weekend's celebration will feature a benefit for the Ladies Ancient Order of the Hibernians and a band from Ireland on Monday. Perhaps the biggest feature of any St. Patrick's Day is its parade, which will march through Downtown on Saturday morning. Pittsburgh might be best-known for its legacy of Eastern European millworkers, but its Irish heritage dates to colonial days. That makes its parade popular enough to draw 100,000 spectators on a good day, says Glenn Cannon, chairmen of the event. The parade is put on by the Irish Society for Education and Charity, a group that promotes cultural activities and scholarships. Attorney Robert Kennedy, chairman of the group's board of directors, says the march falls far behind those other functions in terms of importance. "But I'm just happy to see people come out and enjoy the parade," he says. Hampton resident Kevin Donohue, head of the statewide chapter of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians, says the parade is important because it's "a grand time for families." "I just like to see people come out and celebrate," he says. "Not go crazy, mind you. Just celebrate." Cannon says the popularity of the parade draws a list of steady participants, such as the Ambridge and Central Catholic high school bands and the Carnegie Mellon Pipe Band. This year, they will be joined by the New Ross District Pipe Band of Wexford. Wexford, Ireland, that is, not the postal address in the North Hills. For some people, focusing on Gaelic tradition is something that happens all the time, not just in March. Diane V. Byrnes is host of "Echoes of Erin," an hour-long show on WEDO (810 AM) at 1 p.m. Sundays. She says she tries to keep listeners in touch with news from the island as well as showing "there is a lot more to Irish music than 'Danny Boy.'" She says St. Patrick's Day has grown in size from March 17 to take up most of the month. But even that is a short time, she says, "for the people who decide they're Irish only this time of year." But, she is far from upset at those with a short-term focus: It's better than none at all. Jim Lamb, a singer-bassist for the group Guaranteed Irish, agrees. "St. Patrick's Day is a way of celebrating the Irish among us, among Americans," he says, considering it "an honor to be asked" to play for the celebration. The band is getting plenty of such honors: On Saturday, for instance, it will be at the Smithfield Cafe, Downtown, from noon to 3 p.m., at Mullaney's Harp & Fiddle in the Strip District from 4 to 7 p.m., then at the party at the Irish Centre in Squirrel Hill from 9 p.m. to midnight. Guitarist Mark Guiser has made a career out of singing Irish tunes and also will be busy Saturday and Monday. He will be at the Harp & Fiddle from noon to 4 p.m. and at the Pour House at 8 p.m. "St. Patrick's Day is the day you live for in this music," he says. He knows the holiday brings out people whose blood never shows a trace of Emerald, but he enjoys the energy the mix brings. Cahal Dunne, an Irish expatriate who now lives in Hampton, seems to have a fair bit of luck reaching the "once-a-year Irish," as he puts it. He'll be at Etna's Blarney Stone Restaurant, concentrating on popular Irish tunes, not necessarily some of the great songs he would love to perform. "My job is to entertain, not to educate," he says. "It's a lot easier to do three well-known tunes and then one that isn't, as opposed to doing it the other way around." He comes to the Blarney Stone on a roll: He just finished a tour of Florida in which he did 46 shows in 47 days. Brian Corr from the band Red Hand Paddy, which will be at Harp & Fiddle, says the holiday dictates the music in another way. "We do less of the quieter ballads," he says, laughing. "People just don't want to hear anything that meaningful." Sites offering St. Patrick's events tend to find a positive reaction. Some, like the Blarney Stone, demand reservations to cope with the crowds. Others plan to swell in response to the size of the crowd. David Regan, general manager of the Harp & Fiddle, says the club will add a 30-by-30-foot tent on 24th Street in the Strip District to go along with indoor and back-porch seating. "There's been a lot of talk about us being overcrowded," he says. "We taking efforts to correct that." It points to one thing. As Corr puts it: "St. Patrick's Day is the day to go out and have a good time."
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day
Wearin' of the green is proper these days just about everywhere, but it will be particularly fitting at several locations around town: The St. Patrick's Day Parade 10 a.m. Sat. Mellon Arena, Uptown; Sixth Avenue to Grant Street to the Boulevard of the Allies to Point Park. Paddy's Pour House 215 E. Main St., Carnegie, (412) 279-0770 Roundabouts, 1 to 4 p.m. Sat. and Mon. Mark Guiser, 8 to 11 p.m. Sat. and Mon. Blarney Stone Restaurant 30 Grant St., Etna, (412) 781-1666 Dinner show with Cahal Dunne and Irish Stepdancers, dinner 7 p.m.; show 8:30 p.m. today, Sat. and Mon. $45; show only $20 Sunday brunch with Mike Gallagher, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., $13. 95; $9.95 for children Gallagher's St. Patrick's Day performance, 6 p.m. Mon., $10. Abbey Room. Finnegan's Wake 20 General Robinson St., North Shore, (412) 325-2601 Fund-raiser for Ladies Ancient Order of the Hibernians featuring the Wild Geese, $5 donation, 1 to 4 p.m. Sat. Balladeer Terry Griffith, 5 p.m. Sat.; 5 to 7 p.m. Mon. Balladeer Peter McDonald, 2 to 6 p.m. Sun.; all day Mon. The Whole Shabang, 7 to 11 p.m. Mon. $10. Mullaney's Harp & Fiddle Penn Avenue at 24th Street, Strip District, (412) 642-6622 Mark Guiser, noon to 4 p.m. Sat. and Mon Guaranteed Irish (inside), Hooley (outside), 4 to 7 p.m. Sat. and Mon. Red Hand Paddy (inside), Wild Geese (outside), 8 to 11 p.m. Sat. and Mon. Irish Centre of Pittsburgh Forward Avenue, Squirrel Hill, (412) 521-9712 or (721) 863-5822 St. Patrick's Day Party, 6 p.m. Sat. $25; $20 for members; $10 for age 10 to 20; free for younger than 10. Rosebud Smallman Street, Strip District, (412) 261-2231 The Wild Geese, 10 p.m. today, $5.
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