HistoricOmaha

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It’s St. Patrick’s day weekend, when hearts, minds, and beer turn green.

St. Patrick’s Day Activities in Omaha
Ancient Order of Hybernians (AOH) ST. PATRICK’S DAY 2007 ACTIVITIES >> SATURDAY, MARCH 17TH
8:00AM O’ Neill Wreath Laying
Holy Sepulchere Cemetery, 4910 Leavenworth St

9:00AM Mass
Firefighter’s Union Hall, 60th & Grover

11:00AM LUNCHEON
Firefighter’s Union Hall, 60th & Grover
$10 Corned beef and cabbage meals
$3 Beer
$1 Soda
Entertainment: The Turfmen, Craoi na Tire Dancers
IrishOmaha.com

Omaha.com: Your guide to St. Paddy’s Day
Viewing of the green You could always pick non-Irish movies like “Soylent Green” or “How Green Was My Valley,” but there are some fine Celtic-themed films for rent. Here are a few:

“The Quiet Man.” John Wayne, an ex-boxer with a secret, turns up in the Irish hamlet of his childhood. He falls for a spirited lass (Maureen O’Hara) whose brawling brother (Victor McLaglen) objects. A 1952 double Oscar winner.

“Waking Ned Devine.” The shock of winning Ireland’s lottery kills poor Ned, so the quaint town’s 50 residents conspire to fool lottery officials and share the payoff. Ian Bannen and David Kelly are the chief conspirators in this darkly comic romp.

“In the Name of the Father.” True story of an Irish father and son (Pete Postlethwaite, Daniel Day-Lewis) illegally imprisoned after a 1974 IRA bombing. A 1993 best-picture contender.

“The Playboys.” In 1957, in a tiny Irish village, Robin Wright Penn causes scandal by having a baby. Among rivals for her affection are a middle-aged sergeant (Albert Finney) and a newly arrived actor (Aidan Quinn) with a troupe called the Playboys. Shot in Ireland in 1992.

Eating of the green From the traditional to the organic, St. Pat’s means food:

Irish buffet. The Millard American Legion, 4618 S. 39th St., will be serving a St. Patrick’s Day buffet of Irish stew and corned beef and cabbage from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. The buffet is $7.95.

CBC. That’s shorthand for corned beef and cabbage. The Ancient Order of Hibernians will serve Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Firefighters Union Hall, 60th and Grover Streets. The Turfmen will play from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Information: www.irishomaha.com.

Songs and samples. Free food and beer samples will be served when Ellis Island performs traditional songs and dance tunes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at Whole Foods Market, 10020 Regency Circle. Information: 393-1200.

Nibble all day. The Brazen Head Irish Pub, 319 N. 78th St., will open at 6 a.m. Saturday for breakfast (biscuits and gravy with mashed potatoes). The lunch menu includes Dublin stew, cottage pie, fish and chips, and corned beef sandwiches. A beer tent in the parking lot opens at 2 p.m. A disc jockey will spin tunes under the tent beginning at 5 p.m. Beer tent admission is $5 starting at 2 p.m. Information: 393-3731.

Drinking of the green Yes, of course that means beer and more beer. Here are some strategies:

Get on the bus. Starting at DJ’s Dugout in Bellevue, revelers can travel to several pubs on a big yellow school bus. The St. Patrick’s Day crawl runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and costs $25 a person. The bus will visit O’Briens Lounge, DJ’s Piano Bar in west Omaha, Farren’s and the Varsity before heading back. Information: 292-9096.

Brews of a different color. You’ll probably find green beer on tap just about everywhere in Omaha - even at upscale clubs. Citrus Lounge, a champagne martini bar at 146th Street and West Center Road, is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with $1 green beer draws and $2 Guinness bottles from 3 p.m. until close. Information: 934-4320.

Hearing of the green
Traditional tunes. Local band Donnybrook performs at the Dubliner Pub, 1205 Harney St., at 9 p.m. Friday. Cover: $3. The group returns Saturday, when it plays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Cover: $5. Corned beef sandwiches will be served throughout the day. Information: 342-5887.

On their turf. The Turfmen will perform from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. at the Brazen Head on Friday night, then return Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight. Information: 393-3731.

Cheering of the green
It won’t be easy seeing green if you watch the NCAA tournament on Saturday. No team that wears the color is a favorite to win its first-round game today, which would enable it to play Saturday. Michigan State, a No. 9 seed, has the best shot of wearing its green uniforms on St. Patrick’s Day. No. 14 seed Wright State is unlikely to advance.

Green-themed teams that should play on St. Patrick’s Day but won’t because of the schedule include Notre Dame, Oregon and the Mean Green of North Texas.

Billy Bluejay will be waving his shamrock off the court on Saturday. Creighton plays on Friday and, maybe, Sunday.

Revering of the green
Visit the grave of John O’Neill at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 4910 Leavenworth St. Omaha’s Ancient Order of Hibernians will honor him there at 8 a.m. Saturday. In 1866, he was a general in the Fenian army that raided Canada in an attempt to liberate Ireland from the English. O’Neill recruited many Irish to settle in Nebraska. Information: www.irishomaha.com.

Driving to the green
Head north. Wisner’s Irish Bedrock parade, at 3 p.m. Saturday, will showcase Fred, “Blarney” and other cartoon characters. Entries line up at 1:30 p.m. Information: www.st-patricks-day.com and 402-529-6616.

Then go west. O’Neill, Neb., named for John O’Neill, parties all day Saturday. Don’t miss the Mulligan stew lunch at St. Patrick Parish Hall, the Irish dancers at noon, the grand parade at 1 p.m. or the dance at 9 p.m. Information: www.oneillchamber.org.

Or head east. Des Moines puts on the green for a parade at noon Saturday. The downtown parade, with more than 100 entries, starts at 15th and Locust Streets. At the conclusion, Embassy Suites hosts a free St. Paddy’s Day reception with Irish step dancers. Information: www.knowdowntown.com.

Stepping of the green
Fast footwork. The Lincoln Irish Dancers perform Saturday at the Parthenon Greek Grill and Taverna, 5500 S. 56th St., Lincoln. The restaurant says it will be “Irish for a night” and plans three shows, at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Reservations recommended: 402-423-2222. Information: www.theparthenon.net.

— Compiled by staff writers Bob Fischbach, Ashley Hassebroek, Josefina Loza, Jane Palmer, Niz Proskocil and Dane Stickney.