Today, we’re all Irish

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Central Mass

For starters, there are the obvious Irish locales. On Main Street, Irish Times Pub and its recently refurbished third floor dance club, Rehab, offer good craic every day of the week. But on Saint Patrick’s Day, Irish Times is the hottest place to be — Denis Leary and Liz Hurley are counted among the annual party’s former VIPs. This year, don’t miss Irish recording artists The Shannanigans. Finnegan’s Irish Pub at the Art Bar on Commercial Street will have your favorite pint waiting for you at their fully stocked bar. And you can always escape to the Art Bar dance floor if the stout gets too heavy for you to lift.

I hope our cover story has you convinced — Uncle Billy’s Smokehouse is one of the best bands this city has heard in years. Celebrate this Saint Patrick’s Day with their CD release party at Tammany Hall on Pleasant Street. One song and you’ll be converted by the power of their blues and funk inflected rock ‘n’ roll.

There are also the college hangout on Park Ave. Whether you’re a student, recent grad or just wanna have a good time, you can always enjoy the fun atmosphere at Leitrim’s Pub, The Blarney Stone and Mahoney’s Pub. For the uninitiated, Mahoney’s pours one of the best pints of Guinness in the city.

There are also the not-so-Irish destinations holding St. Patrick’s Day themed events: Don’t want to stay up late on this feast day for the patron saint of Ireland? The Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley has a matinee production of the Summer Squash Show with Irish step dancers.

Want something jazzy? Union Blues has you covered with Little Charlie and the Nightcats. You can also party like you’re in the heart of Dublin at Brew City and Victory Bar on Shrewsbury Street, Club Oz on Grafton Street, Jillian’s, and The Compound in Fitchburg. Though Guinness may be “Good for You,” it’s important to remember: drink safely and responsibly, and please don’t drive drunk. The only gates we want you to see are St. James’s.