Capture striking photographs of the gorgeous grounds and statuary of The Green-Wood Cemetery with the expert guidance of photographer Bethany Jacobson!
Millions of spectators will line Fifth Avenue today as New York City hosts its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade, which travels from East 44th Street to East 79th Street, started in 1762 and is the oldest and largest parade of its kind in the world! The parade is an iconic annual tradition in New York City, but, if you’re looking for festivities that are off the beaten path, we have some suggestions. From eye-opening tours to live performances, check out ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in NYC!
1. Drink a Pint at NYC’s Oldest Irish Pubs
New York City has no shortage of Irish pubs both new and old where you can toast to St. Patrick’s Day. The oldest Irish pub you can visit is McSorley’s Old Ale House in the East Village. Order up some corned beef and wash it down with light or dark ale. Founded around 1854, the pub is covered in photographs, news clippings, and other collectibles, much of it hanging on the walls since 1910.
The Ear Inn is another historic bar option. Originally the James Brown House, built in 1817, it was turned into a bar for sailors by Irishman Thomas Cloke. Molly’s Pub and Restaurant Sheeben calls itself “the most traditional Irish bar in New York.” Founded in 1895, the establishment cycled through multiple iterations as a bar, grocery, and rooming house under a variety of names over the years before becoming Molly’s in the 1960s when it was purchased by the Purfield family from Dublin and Galway. Other Irish bars with a dash of history include The Landmark Tavern in Hell’s Kitchen, The Dead Rabbit in Lower Manhattan, and Peter McManus Cafe in Chelsea. On Park Avenue South, celebrate the rebels of Ireland at John Devoy's, a restaurant and bar named after a famous Fenian and founder of the NYC newspaper The Gaelic American.
2. Grab a Free Book on Book Day
Photo by Vitaliy Piltser
The Irish Arts Center celebrates St. Patrick’s Day by giving out thousands of free books! This year’s 13th Annual Book Day celebrates authors whose works have been banned throughout history, including Edna O'Brien, Claudia Rankine, Sally Rooney, Carmen Maria Machado, Samuel Beckett, and Kaylani Juanita. There are also books by other Irish, Irish American, and local New York City writers. Books are handed out at multiple locations across all five boroughs. You can check the exact distribution locations here!
3. Trace the Irish Immigrant Experience on an NYC Walking Tour
From the shores of Cobh to the streets of Manhattan, see how Irish immigrants have shaped New York City! Almost 10% of modern-day Americans can trace their heritage to Ireland, and most of their ancestors came through New York. It was within these tightly wound and tough city streets that the Irish American was born. Join Irish podcaster and tour guide Ashley Cathalain as you stroll the streets of lower Manhattan unearthing the Irish history still alive in New York City today. Hear the tale of the mysterious Annie Doherty, lost within the lace of Donegal. Meet the legend of ballots and bribery, Boss Tweed, at Tammany Hall. See an example of the resilient Irish spirit in the story of Cantor Fitzgerald, uncover the history of the NYPD Emerald Society, and more!
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No need to hop on an international flight to experience a bit of Ireland, just hop on the subway. At the border of Westchester County and the Bronx, you’ll find New York City’s Little Ireland, the perfect spot to spend St. Patrick’s Day in NYC. All along “The Emerald Mile” you’ll find Irish pubs, gift shops, restaurants, and cultural centers.
A few fun stops include the Irish Coffee Shop, known for its Irish breakfast with black and white pudding and Irish bacon, and Rory Dolan’s, one of the largest restaurants on McLean Avenue, serving up comfort foods like Dublin-style fish and chips. Take home a piece of Ireland from Mary Ann’s Irish gift shop, a store that has been importing handicrafts from Ireland for over 30 years.
5. Watch Festive Live Performances
The New York Irish Center in Queens will host an all-day, six-hour festival of music, dance, and entertainment this Monday at the annual 40 Shades of Green Celebration! From 3pm until 9pm over 50 different acts will take the stage to sing, dance, and play music. Join the waitlist here!
6. Visit Gilded Age Mansions Along Fifth Avenue
The St. Patrick’s Day parade will march past stunning Gilded Age homes along Fifth Avenue, but when the streets are clear this Wednesday, join Untapped New York's expert tour guide to hear the stories of what went on inside these mansions and those that have been lost to time. On our Fifth Avenue Gilded Age Mansions Tour, one of the stops along Manhattan’s Millioanire’s Row is the former home of the Irish Historical Society, a historic former mansion at 991 Fifth Avenue. This tour will even bring you inside a mansion designed by the illustrious architect Stanford White!
Fifth Ave Gilded Age Mansions Tour
Admire the extant facades of Millionaire's Row and see stunning images of the opulent homes that have been lost while hearing about the scandalous goings-on inside.
Many of the city’s Irish pubs will serve up green beers and special cocktails this St. Patrick’s Day! You can also find a variety of green-colored and clover-filled, as well as authentic Irish treats at local restaurants and stores. Craving Irish soda bread? Head to Mary O's, a tiny bakery in the East Village that went viral for its soda bread scones. At the nearby bar Jackdaw, order up a green beer, a Guinness, or a Tri-Color Margarita as you listen to County Cork’s Pipes and Drums and folk music from local Irish bands. Over at Serendipity3, you can dig munch on a Corned Beef & Pastrami Slider Trio from Carnegie Deli and wash it down with a minty Shamrock Frozen Hot Chocolate.
8. Learn About a Secret Society of Irish Rebels
Join author and longtime New York Times editor Mark Bulik and Untapped New York Irish history tour guide Ashley Cathaláin for a free virtual discussion on Bulik's book The Sons of Molly Maguire: The Irish Roots of America's First Labor War! Who were the Molly Maguires? Learn about this violent secret society that started in Ireland to protect peasants during the potato famine of the 1840s, then resurfaced in the hard coal region of Pennsylvania to protect immigrant Irish mine workers and their ties to New York City.
Unlock an on-demand archive of 300+ virtual talks as an Untapped New York Member at the Fan tier or higher!
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9. Experience St. Patrick’s Day at The Edge
Elevate your St. Patrick’s Day experience at The Edge at Hudson Yards, the tallest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere! Throughout March, visitors to the Edge can enjoy special cocktails including an Irish Coffee with Jameson Irish Whiskey and a Triple Mule , a twist on the traditional mule, featuring Jameson Triple Triple, Fever Tree ginger beer, and fresh lime. No additional ticket is required. Book your tickets here!
10. Learn About Irish Immigrants at the Tenement Museum
The Tenement Museum will host a virtual talk on March 31st with historians Dr. Hidetaka Hirota and Dr. Kevin Kenny,Receiving the Irish: The Origins of American Immigration Policy. The talk will explore the reception Irish immigrants received when arriving in the United States in the early 19th century and how what it can teach us about immigration today.
Bonus: Visit the Ruins of an Irish Cottage
Standing in the shadow of lower Manhattan's skyscrapers passersby may happen upon a field of green and some stone ruins. The stone wall remnants come from a farm in County Mayo, Ireland. They were relocated to Battery Park City in 2002 to serve as the centerpiece of the Irish Hunger Memorial designed by internationally renowned sculptor and artist Brian Tolle. The memorial stands to raise awareness of the Great Famine that took place in Ireland between 1845 and 1852 and current hunger crises around the world. Learn more here!
