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Nobody has a softer spot for traditional Irish music than myself, so I think I know where I'll be on Tuesday evening. Manhattan's St. Patrick's Day parade has always been a must-to-avoid because of the thousands of drunken pigs who flock to Fifth Avenue; ditto most of the city's Irish bars. But the Half King (where I had lunch last week) might be a different vibe. It's an old-fashioned place with plain wooden tables and pub food. My sense is that it doesn't cater to the ESPN crowd.
When I was married I visited Ireland in the fall of 1988. Myself, my now ex-wife Maggie and Jett, who was then four months old. We stayed at the 200 year-old home/farm of Chris Ryan in the town of Knocklong in County Limerick. Ryan runs a fabled riding-to-hounds business out of his home. Several horses and something like 40 black-and-tans live in the rear stables and kennels. There's a limited edition book about the operation written by Michael MacEwan called "The Ryan Family and the Scarteen Hounds."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 15, 2009 at 9:15 AM
comment #1
George Prager
says ...
It's good. Just don't order the clam roll. They get the Chelsea Piers studio crowd in there. Saw a drunk Sam Waterston in there once. The Swift Bar in the East Village is good. The Pencil Factory in Greenpoint is also good.
Posted by George Prager
at March 15, 2009 10:01 AM
comment #2
Devin Faraci
says ...
I love Ireland. I was there in 2007 and the whole time I kept thinking, 'They have internet here. I could do my job from here.'
Posted by Devin Faraci
at March 15, 2009 1:36 PM
comment #3
Breedlove
says ...
Yeah The Pencil Factory is cool. My current obsession is the burger at Dram Shop Bar in Park Slope on 5th ave. and 9th St.
Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm) co-owns the Half King. Never been in there. Shitty view of a gas station, no?
Posted by Breedlove
at March 15, 2009 3:23 PM
comment #4
berg
says ...
I like a cold Smithwicks now and then ... and it is pronounced "smiddicks"
Posted by berg
at March 15, 2009 3:33 PM
comment #5
polarbear2
says ...
"Smi-thicks"
Pronounce the "th" as in the words "the" and "though"
Posted by polarbear2
at March 15, 2009 7:47 PM
comment #6
berg
says ...
I stand corrected ... also like the Pipeline Porter mixed with Ace Pear Cider ... not unlike a Snakebite (guiness and apple cider)
Posted by berg
at March 15, 2009 8:51 PM
comment #7
arturobandini2
says ...
Co. Limerick is somewhere in the middle of Ireland, isn't it? Or on the southern border? The western coast is Ireland at its most rugged and majestic. Co. Galway and Co. Dingle contain the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen. Or at least they did last time I was there. In '94, I remember the roads being awful and only counting one McDonald's, in Dublin. Six years later, the roads were much improved, but there were McDonald'ses everywhere. America's contribution to global cuisine has really uglified the most beautiful places on earth.
Posted by arturobandini2
at March 15, 2009 9:12 PM
comment #8
Cobraverde
says ...
Buenos Dias from Dublin; my local McDonalds is up for sale. There's hope for us yet.
Posted by Cobraverde
at March 16, 2009 3:45 AM
comment #9
Calraigh Bracken
says ...
Yeah well no sooner than your McD's gets sold, there's another one being built. Which is happening right now down the road from me in West Dublin. Along with Starbucks, a Subway and some other fucking joint called Quizno's.
The end is fucking nigh.
Posted by Calraigh Bracken
at March 16, 2009 4:56 AM
comment #10
Edward
says ...
No wonder people despise the Americanization of the planet.
Posted by Edward
at March 16, 2009 3:04 PM
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