Revelers Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at T. J. Maloney’s

Patrons packed into T. J. Maloney’s Saturday night for its St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, demonstrating that to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day one doesn’t need to be Irish, only to be ready for craic. Craic, explains Martin Hughes, Dining Coordinator at T. J. Maloney’s, is an Irish word that roughly translates as “having great fun.”

Over the past few years, T. J. Maloney’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration has grown into a ten day festival of craic, inspired by the pub’s motto of Bia, Ol Agus Ceol, or “food, drink and music.” To celebrate the day Hughes calls “the Irish Fourth of July,” revelers decked themselves out in wild green outfits with flashing lights, glowing wigs and shamrock-shaped sunglasses. They enjoyed a corned beef and cabbage buffet, non-stop live music, and endless pints of Guinness Stout and smooth Magner’s Original Irish Cider.

Musicians from all over the Midwest performed Irish music throughout the ten-day festival. Six different groups played Saturday, including The Lake County Pipes and Drums Corps, who have appeared at the celebration since the pub opened. When the Pipes and Drums filed into the room, the crowd gathered closely around them to dance to the traditional Celtic tunes, ducking to avoid the bobbing bagpipes.

T. J. Maloney’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration has grown every year the restaurant has been open. Both Hughes and restaurant General Manager Enda Byrne are Irish natives, and they strive to make the festivities fun and authentic. Hughes said he believes St. Patrick’s Day holds such wide appeal because it is “a great day of celebration of the Irish and of St. Patrick,” a sentiment the pub encourages year round. As Byrne says “there are Irish immigrants all over the world.” A St. Patrick’s Day clock hangs near the restaurant’s entrance, counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until 12:00 am, March 17th. If you missed this years celebration, never fear. T. J. Mahoney’s also throws a “Half-way to St. Patrick’s Day” party in September – only six months to go.

Check out more photos from the event here!