Columnist Joe Delaney: Memories of a special St. Paddy’s Day in Ireland

Joe Delaney

Thursday, March 14, 2002 | 8:29 a.m.

March 17, 1962: The sun never shone on Dublin that day; my first St. Patrick's Day in Ireland ... There was no way it could penetrate the almost liquid cloud cover that came close to reaching ground level ... The wind was incessant; it actually howled ... This was a day for staying in bed ... The phone rang and it was Seamus Kelly, critic and columnist for the Irish Times, inquiring whether I had remembered to pick up a bottle of Paddy's Irish Whiskey.

I had forgotten ... There was a moment of stunned silence and I was reminded that St. Patrick's Day 1962 was still a strict religious holiday, very solemn, with pubs closed for the entire 24-hour period ... Public houses, inns and hotels were required by law to serve food and drink to residents, except from 12:01 a.m. to midnight on March 17.

Eoin (pronounced Owen) Dillon was managing the Shelbourne Hotel where I was staying ... I called him and told him of our plight and a bottle of Paddy's appeared, a gift, otherwise we would be breaking the law ... I called Kelly, who forgave me and proceeded to round up Liam Boyd and Dr. Michael Scott.

Boyd was top man for Trans World Airlines in Ireland, and Scott was Ireland's foremost architect ... It was agreed that a bottle of Paddy's would not carry the four of us through the day ... Drink was available in only two places: the Dog Show at the Royal Dublin Society Hall and at the Baldoyle Race Course, some 30 miles to the north, an unprotected plain on the edge of the Irish Sea.

Fortified as we were, it was unanimous ... Scott drove and we were off to Baldoyle where his good friend was the bar manager and would save us a place ... We took turns placing our bets with the gaggle of bookies ... At the end of the day, we had been over-served and, somehow, managed to each come off winners, which included drinks and a handsome tip for the bar manager.

He deserved more ... He lived near Scott in Killiney, south of Dublin, and insisted on driving, dropping each of us off en route, then having Scott's housekeeper drive him home ... He turned out to be our undesignated driver but it also guaranteed us a safe trip back to our respective starting points.

Baldoyle is no more ... Dillon, Kelly and Scott remain only as pleasant memories ... Boyd is retired and we always share a meal and our memories each year when I manage a week or two in Ireland ... Now that I have told you how we behaved that day, this Sunday have a Guinness or a Murphy's, or two, if more, but be sure to have a designated driver.

Holiday events

Sunday is St. Patrick's Day ... The annual Sons of Erin St. Patrick's Parade will start at 11 a.m. Sunday at Fourth Street and Coolidge Avenue, proceeding north on Fourth to Ogden ... After disbanding, the majority of participants in the two-hour parade will regroup at the picnic grounds on the southeast side of Sahara and Paradise avenues for a daylong block party.

It should be noted that Brendan Bowyer and the Irish Show Band have reunited for the occasion, performing in J.C. Wooloughan's Irish Pub at the J.W. Marriott Las Vegas, starting at 8 p.m. today and at 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday ... Brendan's daughter, Aisling, co-starring in "Whisper" at Harrah's in Reno, will appear with the group today.

In addition Bowyer and Co. will perform Friday at the Sons of Erin's annual St. Patrick's Dinner-Dance in the Sahara's Golden Room, starting at 6:30 p.m., appear in the parade and perform at the block party starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday ... Bowyer's new CD, not yet available stateside, is certified gold in Ireland; a release in the United States is planned later this year.

There has been a proliferation of Irish-styled pubs with Fado's, very authentic, at Green Valley Ranch Station Casino, Brendan's at The Orleans, and Jack's Irish Pub, home of the Wild Celts (Palace Station), to name just three ... There will be the usual green beer, very unauthentic, at a number of places, corned beef and cabbage, souvenirs, etc.

The Fremont Street Experience is offering free St. Patrick's Day entertainment on two stages, in the evening on Friday and Saturday, and all day long on Sunday ... This columnist had the honor of appearing as St. Patrick for 25 years before passing the privilege to local publican Tom Lally ... Last year we served as grand marshal; this year it will be Mayor Oscar Goodman.

This year we will ride with Terry Little and his family on their truck, the one playing the Irish rebel music ... Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day so have a great time, enjoy a Guinness or a Murphy's Stout, not too many, eat and be merry ... If you get to the block party, and you should, do a little shopping as well.

Star-policy rundown

It's Gladys Knight (Flamingo Las Vegas); Tony Orlando, 8 p.m. and Amazing Johnathan, 10 p.m. (Golden Nugget); Mac King, afternoons and Clint Holmes, evenings (Harrah's); Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton, in different theaters (LV Hilton); Etta James, Friday and Saturday (House of Blues); Blue Man Group (Luxor); and George Carlin, plus Rick Springfield starring in "EFX Alive" (MGM Grand).

There's more: Siegfried & Roy and Danny Gans in separate theaters (Mirage); Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Rita Rudner (New York-New York); Bobby Vinton (Orleans); Ronn Lucas, afternoons, Scintas evenings followed by "Chippendales," plus Louie Anderson in the Samba Theatre (Rio); Marlene Ricci (Riviera); and Steve Wyrick (Sahara).

And still more: the Isley Brothers, Friday and Saturday (Sam's Town); Chicago (Stardust); Average White Band (Suncoast); Paula Poundstone, Friday only (Sunset Station); Rick Thomas (Tropicana); and Melinda, First Lady of Magic, 7 p.m. and "Bravo" starring Charo, 9 p.m. (Venetian).

Weekend highlight: Placido Domingo in concert, accompanied by the Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra, 8 p.m. Saturday (Mandalay Bay Events Center) ... See you Friday.