New & stylish ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day around Boston
Here in Boston, we mark St. Patrick’s Day differently than they do in Ireland. There, it’s less about partying than it is about honoring history. In Boston the focus is on jubilant celebrating, and you don’t need to be of Irish descent to join in.
That said, with all due respect for the city’s many fantastic pubs, what about ushering in the holiday differently this year? Boston is filled with endless love for the Emerald Isle, and it’s got plenty of creative and stylish ways to show it. Here are a few ideas for St. Patrick’s Day outings, settings, and events that are a fun departure from the usual festivities.
Get Your Irish (Arts) Up
Start out with a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts, where you’ll find a collection of ancient Irish artifacts, like the Middle Bronze Age ribbon torc from Inishowen, County Donegal; Late Bronze Age armlets; and a Early Medieval shrine. mfa.org
Find a Pot of Gold
From March 16 through March 19, Hotel AKA Back Bay (stayaka.com/hotel-aka-backbay) is offering a “Pot of Gold” package that includes a private consultation with jewelry designer Cynthia Britt at her Newbury Street studio for a custom creation of a gold jewelry piece. It also includes a private whiskey tasting and dinner for two at Precinct Kitchen + Bar. To book the package, contact akamrktng@stayaka.com.
Have a Wee Snack
Elevated Irish fare is a beautiful thing, and in honor of the holiday there will be plenty of it at Rebel’s Guild (rebelsguild.com) on March 17 — the likes of an Irish soda bread butter board (complete with Irish butter, orange marmalade, fennel, and kumquat), and corned beef, cabbage, red potatoes, and heritage carrots. Or, if you need soothing quick, on March 17 all locations of Anna’s Taqueria will be serving their annual special ode to the traditional boiled dinner: corned beef and cabbage burritos, annastaqueria.com.
Check Out Boston’s Irish History
Looking to learn more about the history of the Irish in Boston? The Boston Public Library has created a list of fiction, non-fiction, and film (https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/list/share/114085694/583631348). Peruse the list and then swing by the library to check a few of the items out.
Binge on Yeats
To know W.B. Yeats’ poetry is to love it, and the papers of him and his family are kept in a collection at Boston College’s John J. Burns Library. You can see them there (https://libguides.bc.edu/Burns) and learn more than you ever thought possible about the life of the giant of Irish literature.
Celebrate With a Ginger
And if all of that is starting to sound too bookish, turn back to one of the great fuels of the holiday —whiskey. A new, independent Irish brand out of County Carlow, Ireland has just made its way to Boston. It’s called Flying Tumbler, and it’s being featured in a signature cocktail, the “Flying Ginger” (50 ml of Flying Tumbler, 2 dashes of orange bitters, 3 shots of ginger beer and 1 orange wedge) at Bostonia Public House (bostoniapublichouse.com) around the holiday. Slainte!