ONE OF New York City’s oldest and most iconic Irish pubs has shared a poignant St Patrick’s Day tribute to absent friends, fellow bars owners and frontline workers.
Exactly one year ago today, McSorley’s Old Ale House in the East Village closed its doors to the public after the city’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, postponed the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.
McSorley’s initially continued to operate takeout orders but business proved slow, prompting the bar’s owner to shut the pub entirely. What followed was the longest closure in the Irish pub’s 166-year history.
It was an unprecedented situation. McSorley’s had previously stayed open during the American Civil War and also through the Spanish flu pandemic but was shuttered for two months due to coronavirus.
Now reopened albeit with the bar's capacity greatly diminished due to Covid-19 restrictions, the pub has seen first-hand the damage done by Covid-19.
With that in mind, they chose to mark St Patrick’s Day by sharing a moving musical tribute put together by one of the bar’s regulars, Dan Walsh.
“Our Favourite Irish Pub” is an ode to the restaurant and bar workers and owners negatively affected by Covid-19 as well as the regulars who have been much missed during the past 12 months.
It’s also a tribute to frontline workers, feature images of the brave men and women working in hospitals across the city to help those suffering with the coronavirus.
Uploaded to YouTube, the video for Walsh’s tribute features pictures and memories of better days spent with friends in the familiar surroundings of McSorley’s. Times that will return soon.
“Wishing everyone a Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. But most of all, a safe and healthy one,” McSorley’s wrote on social media.
“With only 35% occupancy still the law of the land we will not be able to accommodate all of our guests who wish to join us. Please keep in mind that we Irish actually celebrate our patron saint for the entire month of March.”
The owners of New York’s oldest Irish pub signed off their St Pat’ message with a word of thanks for Walsh’s musical efforts.
“Well done, Dan. God bless, and we at McSorley’s thank you all for your continued, unwavering support. And a big shout out to all our friends and family in the industry here and abroad, we love and miss you all. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day.
