St. Patrick's Day: The party starts today at Kieran's!

This year, the big St. Patty's Day news is the relocation of Kieran's Irish Pub--which spent a whopping 16 years at 4th Street and 2nd Avenue South--to the former Bellanotte space in Block E, at the SE corner of First Avenue North and Sixth Street.

I caught up with Kieran Folliard the other day and got the scoop on the festivities, which start *today* and include raising funds for Make-A-Wish, a flamboyant parade to the new space, pouring the first new pints, and honoring Fitz, a longtime Kieran's employee and friend who passed away unexpectedly. Folliard and crew will be toasting the pub's golden birthday (they opened 3-16-94) from 2-4 p.m. at Kieran's and then processing to the new location at Block E.

Here's the schedule of events Folliard sent:

3:00 Auction of final pints at old place and first pints at new place, benefiting Make-A-Wish Foundation, poised to send a young man and his family for the World Cup in South Africa

3:45 March starting at Old Kieran's led by bagpipers, dancers, and flame throwers (some of our friends lighting smokes at arbitrary times.) The final pints will flow beholding the old pub spirit.

4:17ish Unveiling of Kieran's Pub. Come for pints, menu features, self guided tours and live music by Wild Colonial Boys and St. Dominic's Trio. Look for our Kieran's Irish Pub signs, and note inside that our shirts now sport the catchy, "Kieran's Pub." Redundancy is so 1994.

Notably, the old location will close today, but reopen on Monday May 3rd, as The Old Pub. Folliard plans to keep The Old Pub open for a few more years due to lease commitments, 11:30-7:30 ish Monday through Friday.