This is the big month for all things Irish. The Roaring Kelly Band performs Saturday, March 14, in Palm Beach Gardens at Downtown at the Gardens from 7-10pm then THE BIG DAY, St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday, March 17, at Galuppi’s in Pompano Beach, beginning at 5pm where we’ll share the stage with Irish step dancers and bagpipers for one heck of a party!

Did you know that St. Patrick’s Day was a dry holiday in Ireland until 1970? That meant no drinking! Aside from the wearing the color green, the activity most associated with St. Patrick’s Day is drinking. However, Irish law, from 1903 to 1970, declared St. Patrick’s Day a religious observance for the entire country meaning that all pubs were shut down for the day. That meant no beer, not even the green kind, for public celebrants. Due to these strict laws on the curtailment of sales of alcohol on Holy Days in Ireland, the only place a thirsty Irish person could legally get a drink on St. Patrick’s Day was at The Royal Dublin Dog Show. One dog show celebrant was reported to complain that it was a grand occasion “except for all the dogs.” The law was overturned in 1970, when St. Patrick’s Day was reclassified as a national holiday. The taps have been flowing for St. Pat’s ever since.

Speaking of drinking, the global corporate-relations director of Guinness says 5.5 million pints of Guinness are sold on any given day, but this figure rises to an astounding 13 million on St. Patrick’s Day.

The Roaring Kelly Band loves St. Patrick’s Day and we understand that many also love to celebrate with something to drink especially if that ‘something’ comes from a bar tap or a bottle with a cork. We’d like to remind everyone to please drink responsibly! If you drink, have yourself a really good time but don’t rely on Irish luck. Make plans for a sober designated driver or have your bartender call a taxi for your safe journey home. We want you to stick around for next year’s St. Pat’s!