date published: March 10, 2008
It’s easy (and fun) bein’ green in
Beantown this March
by Josh B. Wardrop
The first St. Patrick’s Day celebration
in America occurred in Boston in 1737,
which means more green beer has been
consumed here than anywhere in the
nation. Since then, the party has only
grown, with Celtic fever seizing the
city whenever mid-March rolls around.
But you don’t need the luck of the Irish
to have fun this St. Paddy’s Day—here’s
a few cool ways to spend the week
celebrating Ireland’s patron saint.
March of the
Irish
The traditionally
Irish neighborhood of South Boston is
the epicenter of St. Patrick’s Day
celebrations in Boston, most notably
demonstrated by the famous
South Boston St.
Patrick’s Day Parade. Every year,
600,000 Bostonians and visitors pack the
streets of “Southie” to experience this
magical procession featuring marching
and bagpipe bands from America and the
Emerald Isle, exciting floats and other
Gaelic-inspired treats. Founded in 1901
to celebrate the Hub’s Irish heritage,
the South Boston parade is a living part
of Boston’s history and a tradition
handed down through the generations. The
107th annual parade kicks off at 1
p.m. on Sunday, March 16,
from the Broadway MBTA station on the
Redline. For a complete list of parades
around the state, visit
www.irishmassachusetts.com. Refer to
special events listing.
Walking The
Green Miles
In Boston, everyone
with even the slightest Celtic
connections claims to be Irish come
March 17. But how much do they actually
know about Boston’s rich Irish history?
Boston’s Irish Heritage
Trail, a three-mile self-guided
walking tour through downtown Boston,
the North End, Beacon Hill and Back Bay
showcases the Hub’s Gaelic past. The
tour details over 300 years of history,
highlighting the politicians, artists
and war heroes who personify the
rebellious and triumphant nature of the
Boston Irish. View a garden dedicated to
the city’s most famous Irish-American
matriarch, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy; a
flag waved by the entirely Irish 9th
Regiment of Infantry during the Civil
War; and a memorial remembering the
tragic Great Famine that claimed 1
million lives and forced 2 million
victims to flee Ireland. Maps of the
Trail are available at the Greater
Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau’s
Boston Common Visitor Center and the
Prudential Center Visitor Information
Center. Refer to
sightseeing listing.
The Sweet
Science
Spend enough St.
Patrick’s Days drinking to your friends’
and countrymen’s health in one of
Boston’s many fine Irish pubs (see
sidebar) and you might see one or two
overly spirited types getting a bit
rowdy and rambunctious with each other.
This year, however, there’s one spot in
Boston where you can absolutely bank on
punches being thrown—the Orpheum
Theatre, which for the first time in its
more than 150-year history is hosting an
evening of exhibition boxing on March
15. The Celtic
Invasion features top Irish
fighters like Jonathan “Thunderbolt”
O’Brien and Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan
hopping the pond to take on American
contenders in a passionate program of
pugilistic prowess. Refer to
sports listing.
Beyond Bangers
& Mash
Though corned beef and
cabbage is a staple dish in Boston’s
Irish pubs around St. Patrick’s Day,
Irish cuisine goes far beyond this
humble meal. To prove this, the Boston
Irish Tourism Association is sponsoring
the third annual Gaelic
Gourmet Gala on March 14
from 7–10 p.m. at the Hotel
Commonwealth in Kenmore Square. Some of
Ireland’s top chefs, including Padraic
Hayden, Paul McKnight and Tony O’Neill,
match their skills with local celebrity
chefs like Marc Orfaly, Michael Schlow
and Angela and Seth Raynor to serve up
new and innovative takes on Irish fare.
The $100 per person ticket allows
patrons to eat, drink and be merry,
indulging in top-notch cuisine and a
vast selection of wine, beer and
cocktails. Refer to
special events listing.
Raise a Glass to Ireland Looking to toast Ireland’s patron saint this holiday without spending a pot o’ gold? Avoid notoriously expensive (and sometimes unfriendly) South Boston pubs and enjoy a pint of Guinness or get frisky with Irish whiskey at these popular watering holes. THE BLACK ROSE, 160 State St., 617-742-2286. This Faneuil Hall landmark is a noted hotspot on St. Patrick’s Day, with live music, delicious Irish grub and a raucous crowd celebrating old Eire. THE BURREN, 247 Elm St., Somerville, 617-776-6896. This family-friendly pub offers Irish set dancing classes every Monday and serves patrons food and drink to live Celtic music nightly in an Old World atmosphere. DOYLE’S, 3484 Washington St., Jamaica Plain, 617-524-2345. Since its inception in 1882, Doyle’s has been a popular spot for mayors, senators and governors, and hosts an annual St. Patrick’s Day bagpipe band battle. Kennedy’s Midtown, 42 Province St., 617-426-3333 (pictured above). One part classic steakhouse, one part lively Irish pub, Kennedy’s offers delicious entrees and appetizers and live musical entertainment every Thu–Sat. PLOUGH AND STARS, 912 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-576-0032. This pub serves hardy drafts of Guinness and a multi-ethnic menu, and even televises European football matches. |
Boston Green on
the Big Screen
Let’s face it: if
you’ve seen any of the movies about the
Boston Irish-American experience that
have come out in the last decade (Southie,
Monument Ave., The Departed),
you might be afraid that anyone you meet
in this town with a scally cap or a mild
brogue intends to pistol-whip you and
throw you in Boston Harbor. That’s why
the theatrical release of
writer/director Dave McLaughlin’s
charming feature film
On Broadway
is such a refreshing change of pace. The
warm-hearted drama about a young man
trying to mend his relationship with a
distant father by writing a play about
his family and staging it in a
neighborhood pub features a cast of
well-known names with genuine
Massachusetts bonafides—including Joe
McIntyre (“Boston Public,” pop group New
Kids on the Block), Eliza Dushku (“Buffy
the Vampire Slayer,” Bring it On),
Amy Poehler (“Saturday Night Live”) and
Will Arnett (“Arrested Development”).
Having already thrived on the film
festival circuit (including winning Best
Feature Film at the Galway Film Fleadh
in Ireland), On Broadway opens
March 14 at the Somerville Theatre
(55 Davis Square, Somerville,
617-625-5700) and West Newton Cinema
(1296 Washington St., 617-964-6060).
SHAMROCK & ROLL
As is usually the case around
St. Patrick’s Day, lovers of Irish music
in all its forms—from bagpipe bands
marching in parades, to local musicians
engaging in Celtic jam sessions at local
pubs to major names in Irish popular
music—are spoiled for choice in the City
of Boston.
If it’s St. Paddy’s Day in Boston, one group that’s certain to be ripping it up onstage is hometown Irish/punk superstars the Dropkick Murphys. In past years, the Dropkicks commandeered the late Lansdowne Street club Avalon for a long run of shows, but with Avalon’s closure in 2007, the band is mixing up their residency a bit, playing both in and outside of Boston. On March 15, the unofficial house band of the Boston Red Sox travels north to Lowell for shows at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium and the Tsongas Arena before bringing it back inside city limits for two shows of raucous, high-energy song at the Paradise Rock Club on March 16 & 17. Refer to live music listing.
Lovers of Celtic-influenced rock can rejoice in a visit to Boston by folk-punk legends The Pogues. Fronted by their legendarily colorful and dissolute lead singer Shane McGowan, the venerable veterans perform two shows at the Orpheum on March 19 & 20 (refer to live music listing). Meanwhile, Belfast’s favorite musical son, temperamental genius and all-around Celtic curmudgeon Van Morrison, hits his old Hub stomping grounds (back in the late 1960s, Morrison lived across the river in Cambridge for a time) for a March 14 concert at the Wang Theatre (refer to live music listing).
For those looking for something more old school, the Somerville Theatre hosts A St. Patrick’s Day Sojourn featuring Brian O’Donovan on March 17. The show celebrates Irish music and dance with performances by singers Karan Casey and John Spillane, music from neo-traditional group Buille and high-stepping dance by Kieran Jordan and Dancers. Refer to live music listing.
Finally, what would March be without a
visit from Ireland’s kings of
traditional Celtic song,
The Chieftains? The band brings
its authentic, time-honored tunes to
Symphony Hall on March 14. Refer
to
live music listing.
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