Local pubs make it easy to be green on St. Patrick's Day
You may not have a drop of Celtic blood, but everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day.
Irish pubs are celebrating all weekend long -- and of course, on Wednesday, March 17 -- with Irish dancing, music, corned beef and a lot of green beer.
So whether you want to wait until Wednesday, or get in the spirit early, here is a sampling of options at Irish pubs across the suburbs.
Peggy Kinnane's, 8 N. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. (847) 577-7733: A $5 cover gets you admission to a bash featuring bagpipers at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m., giveaways and a face painter. A special menu includes corned beef and cabbage and fish and chips.
• Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant, 28 W. New York St., Aurora, (630) 844-0400: A full day of celebration kicks off Wednesday with a beer and eggs breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Live Irish entertainment runs from noon to 1 a.m., with performances from Fitz and the Celts, the McNulty Irish Dancers, Kevin Flynn and the Avondale Ramblers and The Elders. Cover is $10 after 2 p.m.
• Shanahan's, 2009 Ogden Ave., Downers Grove, (630) 725-9110: Food and drink specials run from Saturday through Wednesday, including $8 pitchers of green Miller Lite, $5 Irish car bombs, $16 Killian's pitchers and $8.95 corned beef sandwiches. The Whiskey Brothers perform from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday followed by karaoke, and Wednesday features Irish dancers, bagpipers and live music from Bobby K & Steve.
• Claddagh Irish Pub, 1702 Commons Drive, Geneva, (630) 208-0337: The bar opens at 10 a.m. Wednesday serving up $4 Kilkenny Irish Ale drafts. Celtic Sounds performs from 2 to 5 p.m. There's a $5 cover after 9 p.m., when band Red Woody takes the stage.
• Shannon's Irish Pub, 428 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, (630) 790-9080: The bar opens at 8 a.m. Wednesday, serving $7.99 corned beef hash until noon. The first 100 guests get a free T-shirt.
• Timothy O'Toole's, 5527 Grand Ave., Gurnee, (847) 249-0800: The celebration runs all week, with bagpipers, green beer chugging contests, giveaways, $5 Jameson shots and $4 green beers served in souvenir mugs.
• Mickey Finn's Brewery, 412 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, (847) 362-6688: Partying kicks off Friday with a fundraiser for Misericordia from 5 to 10 p.m. in an outdoor tent. A $25 donation includes dinner and entry to watch performances from Donnybrook and the McNulty Irish Dancers. Napper Tandy, Fitz & The Celts and the Trinity Irish Dancers perform in the tent from 1 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday with no cover before 6 p.m. or a $10 donation to St. Baldrick's Foundation after. Get your head shaved Saturday starting at 2 p.m. to show support and raise money for St. Baldrick's childhood cancer research. Catch Irish folk music and the McNulty Irish Dancers from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Wednesday WIIL-FM 95.1 broadcasts live from the bar and Glen Ayre Irish Band performs at 7 p.m.
• Mullen's Bar and Grill, 3080 Warrenville Road, Lisle, (630) 505-0240: The bar opens two hours early, serving up Irish breakfast starting at 8 a.m. A traditional Irish band plays inside, followed by a DJ, while The Hat Guys take the stage from 5 to 8 p.m. in an outdoor tent, followed by Hairbangers Ball from 9 to 11 p.m. Fill up on corned beef and cabbage for dinner with some green beer.
• Tommy Nevin's Pub, 3032 English Rows, Naperville, (630) 428-4242: Saturday the Trinity Irish Dancers perform from 11 a.m. to noon, with Three Men in Kilts taking the stage at 9 p.m. The Trinity Irish Dancers come back at 11 a.m. Wednesday, followed by live music from the Larkin and Moran Brothers, Naperville Bagpipers and Kevin and Brian.
• John Barleycorn, 1100 American Lane, Schaumburg, (847) 619-5540: Irish dancers and bagpipers perform at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The party features giveaways, $4 green Miller Lite drafts, $8 Irish stew, $12.95 corned beef and cabbage dinners and $5 Jameson shots and Guinness drafts and bottles.
• Finn McCool's Irish Sports Pub, 1941 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg, (847) 303-5100: Bagpipers perform throughout the day Wednesday and a DJ spins until 1 a.m. Drink up with green beer and $5 Jameson shots.
• McNally's Traditional Irish Pub, 201 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 513-6300: A full day of live music kicks off at 11 a.m. Wednesday with performances from Cirrus Falcon, The Fundamentals and Soda.
• McCarthy's, 506 Hawthorn Center, Vernon Hills, (847) 367-4704: The bar starts celebrating Monday with $14.99 all-you-can-eat corned beef and cabbage, $2.50 green beer and $4.50 Guinness, Smithwick's and Harp drafts offered through St. Patrick's Day. Cover is $3 Wednesday, with the Sheila Tully Irish Dancers, bagpipers and Matt McBride performing starting at 4 p.m.
• Muldoon's, 133 W. Front St., Wheaton, (630) 668-8866: The Trinity Irish Dancers perform at 11 a.m. Saturday and Wednesday. Patrick's Rowdy Irishmen play from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, and you can catch Irish singer/songwriter Gavin Coyle from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.