Calling All Denver Irish Leprechauns, Four-Leaf Clover Wearers, It’s Time For Wearing Of The Green
by Glen Richardson
Casey’s Cuisine: Shepherd’s Pie is among Irish menu choices at Casey’s Bistro & Pub in the Lowry Town Center. Restaurant also has Irish Whiskey Chicken, Bangers & Mash, plus Irish Nachos.
Music Magic: Irish concerts are one of the charms during St. Patrick’s Day weekend. With more than a million records sold, Irish folk band Altan entertains at the Lakewood Center March 11.
Luck, charms, shamrocks, and shenanigans, Dublin days in Denver begins March 9 at 3 p.m. (weather permitting) when the city paints a green strip down Blake Street. From that day and after, St. Paddy’s Day events begin with just a “wee bit” O’ Blarney. The green stripe signifies the parade route and is followed by the Changin’ of Blake’s Street sign to Tooley Street, honoring 1970s Irish former District Attorney Dale Tooley.
All the days thereafter, according to Irish folklore, will be filled with fond memories, happiness, and laughter throughout St. Patrick’s Day on March 17.
Get ready for one of the nation’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day Parades on March 11, followed by days of revelry from shamrock-covered bars serving classic pub grub with music, drinking, and a whole lot of green. Embrace the luck and prepare for revelry and merrymaking with the Chronicle’s yearly guide to partying in green garb:
Concerts
Luck of the Irish, March 4-5: The Aurora Singers entertain with haunting ballads, lullabies, and songs to stir your Irish soul at South Middle School, Sat. 7 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. Information: 303-343-3377.
Gobs O’ Phun, March 5 & 17: Brothers-in-law duo-duet Denis Sullivan and Martin Lambuth accompany themselves with guitar, bodhran, and harmonica at Swallow Hill’s Quinian Café, 7 p.m., and on St. Paddy’s Day, 8 p.m. Information: 303-777-1003.
Young Dubliners, March 10: Irish-American rock band and lead singer-rhythm guitarist Keith Roberts perform at the Soiled Dove Underground in the Lowry Town Center, 8 p.m. Information: 303-830-9214.
Celtic Awakening, March 10-12: The Denver Brass Celtic show with the Colorado Pipes & Drums, Wick School of Irish Dance, the Rocky Mountain Highland Dancers, and Irish tenor Todd Teske bring Irish magic to the Newman Center, 7:30 p.m. Information: 303-871-7720.
Altan, March 11: The 1987 Irish folk band formed by lead vocalist Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh and her husband Frankie Kennedy and sold over a million records is at the Lakewood C
Popular Procession: Denver’s Irish parade is accompanied by Celtic Music Groups, Acoustic Bands, plus Irish Music Bands. Hip hounds march along with horses in the annual parade.
enter, 7:30 p.m. Information: 303-987-7845.
Parade & Princess
Set to step off March 11 at 9:30 a.m., Denver’s St. Paddy’s Day parade is one of the largest in the country with nearly half a million people expected. Featuring Irish step dancers, marching bands, elaborate floats, and bagpipers, the Mile High version is legendary.
St. Paddy’s Swarm: Nearly a half million people are expected downtown for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 11. Irish marching bands, floats, and bagpipers annually draw state’s single largest gathering in one place.
Many claim it annually draws Colorado’s single largest gathering in one place.
If you’re attending, you’ll want to get a spot early since some people arrive by 6 a.m. to find a prime place for spectating. The parade launches from Wynkoop at 19th, turns down 17th in front of Union Station, and then turns NE down Blake St. proceeding all the way to 27th. Information: 720-577-6884.
Competition to be Denver’s next Irish queen — known as Queen Colleen — was set from Feb. 11, after the deadline for the Chronicle’s March issue. Currently Miss Colorado All American Girl, Molly Casey served as Queen Colleen for 2022. Born and raised here, she is 100% Irish and still visits her family’s homestead in Cork, Ireland.
Pub Grub
The Abbey Tavern: A bright, relaxing eatery on E. Colfax serving American breakfasts and brunch, patrons can also choose from an Irish Breakfast, a Corned Beef Hash Skillet, Irish Eggs Benedict, plus Shepherd’s Pie. Irish Bread Pudding is available for dessert. Information: 303-321-5151.
Casey’s Bistro & Pub: Located in the Lowry Town Center, this lively restaurant-bar’s menu includes Irish Nachos, Bangers & Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, plus Irish Whiskey Chicken. Information: 720-974-7350.
The Irish Rover: This friendly Baker neighborhood pub on South Broadway is celebrating St. Paddy’s Day March 12-17. With a fireplace and huge rooftop patio, diverse food choices are always available. Irish selections include a Corned Beef Reuben, Shepherd’s Pie, and an Irish
Corned Beef Custom: Corned Beef & Cabbage has become a yearly St. Paddy’s Day Special at the Monaco Inn Restaurant. The hoped-for coming year fortune dish is being served for lunch and dinner March 17.
Breakfast. Information: 303-282-4643.
Monaco Inn Restaurant: When Irish eateries began to shutter a dozen years ago, this South Monaco Parkway restaurant started offering Corned Beef & Cabbage as a St. Patrick’s Day Special. The dish quickly became a draw, and will again be the March 17th Special for lunch and dinner. Information: 303-320-1104.
Scruffy Murphy’s Irish Pub: An authentic slice of the Emerald Isle on Larimer St. near Coors Field, the kitchen serves Shepherd’s Pie, Banger’s ’n Mash, plus Irish Spring Rolls. Information: 303-291-6992.
Pub Places To Play
Clancy’s Irish Pub, March 17-18: State’s oldest and longest running Irish Pub has live music Fri., 8 a.m.-1 a.m;, Sat., 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Among outdoor headlines Fri.-Sat. are Bleed N Green, No B
ueno, and The Delta Sonics, plus dozens more entertaining inside. Information: 720-456-7320.
Keggs & Eggs, March 17: Annual St. Paddy’s Day morning concert hosted by rock station KTCL returns to Jackson’s Sports Bar across from Coors Field, 7 a.m. Singer Matt Maeson and bands Holdfast and Ripe entertain. Information: 303-298-7625.
Pig & The Sprout, March 17: Restaurant at 19th & Chestnut Place hosts 5th annual St. Paddy’s Day bar crawl with a $1,000 costume contest, 4 p.m. Information: 720-535-9719.
St. Paddy’s Day Block Party, March 11, 17-18: Live music and parties at the Gin Mill & Larimer Beer Hall noon-4 p.m. Sat.; 3-7 p.m. Fri. 17th & 1-4 p.m. Sat. 18th. Information: 303-295-0706.
Running Luck
Races & Irish Festival, March 12: Family 7K, 2 mile race-walk at Wash Park, 10 a.m. Post-race party with Irish music and dancers, plus Beer Garden. Information: rungreen7K.com.