Round Up of Seattle Irish Pubs and Shops
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
On my recent trip to Seattle I dropped in to visit several Celtic businesses to meet the owners and get an update on events in the Irish pubs and shops of the Seattle area.
 |
|
AT THE POPULAR Molly Maguires in Seattle are (L-R) server Chelsea Fasske and Tracey Woods who handles entertainment and publicity for the Molly Maguires and the Ould Triangle pubs. |
My first stop was at the Molly Maguires, located at 610 NW Street in Seattle. It's a favourite stop after Gaelic football practice for the men and women's Seattle Gaels teams. I met with Tracey Woods who does all the entertainment bookings for both the Molly Maguires and the Ould Triangle pubs. Both pubs are Irish owned and operated.
"We have an open mike on Monday nights and Ray Carney from the Ould Triangle comes in to MC the evening," said Tracey. "On Tuesday nights we have a pool tournament; Wednesday night a pub quizz; Thursday is Karaoke night; and Friday and Saturday, we have live music." Tracey suggested calling the pub for more information on the live music. Call (206) 789-9643, or visit: www.seattleirishpubs.com.
Next was Fado Irish Pub and Restaurant at the corner of First and Columbia in downtown Seattle (close to the famous Pike Market). I spoke with Armagh-born manager, Mark McKenna, who brought me up-to-date with all the happenings.
 |
|
MARK McKENNA (center) the manager of Fado Irish Pub and Restaurant with his friendly staff: Ion, Hazel, Johnny and Lindsay. |
"We will be bringing in all the GAA games, Celtic and Premier League games, along with any other sports games," Mark said. They have live music five nights a week, from Wednesday to Sunday; on Tuesday, they feature Texas holdum; on Wednesday night, Mark is the host for pub trivia, with entertainment by Justin and Ronan; on Thursday, the band Author Unknown plays blues, rock and a little Irish; and Friday and Saturday is live music by the Kennedy Brothers who are the house band; on Sunday from 4-7, there is a music session with everyone welcome. For more information, call (206) 264-2700, or visit: www.fadoirishpub.com.
I dropped in briefly at the Blarney Stone, which is located in downtown Seattle at 1909 Third Avenue, kitty corner to Macy's department store. Server, Kathy Bethune was busy pouring pints and talking up a storm to customers. Kathy is related to the famous Doctor Norman Bethune. The Blarney Stone shows all the local sports on their televisions and features live, blues, rock and Irish music on the weekends. For more information, call (206) 448-8439.
 |
|
PULLING A PINT at The Blarney Stone in Seattle is Kathy Bethune. |
Next stop was at Connemara-born, Paddy Coyne's Irish Pub, which is located at 1190 Thomas Street near the Seattle Times newspaper. Since I last spoke with Pat he has opened another Paddy Coyne's Irish Pub in Tacoma, Washington.
"The Tacoma location is almost twice the size of our Seattle pub," said Pat. "it's an older Irish community in Tacoma. Before we renovated the building, it was a hotel that was opened in 1906. It was originally built in 1897 by an order of monks who had the bar in the hotel shipped from France and we are now using that lovely antique bar in our pub."
Paddy Coyne's is noted for its live Irish music sessions. In Seattle, they're on Sunday nights, and in Tacoma, on Monday nights. Both pubs have outdoor patios, private party rooms and full kitchens. The pubs are open for lunch and dinner during the week and on Saturday and Sunday they are also opened for breakfast. For more information call: (206) 405-1548. Visit: www.paddycoynes.net.
I also stopped into O'Donnell's American Grill and Irish Pub, which is located at 122-138 Street, S.E. in Everett. This establishment opened in October 2006. Owner Shawn O'Donnell's grandparents were originally from Tipperary.
Before opening O'Donnell's, Shawn took a trip to Ireland and visited his grandmother's cottage at Moyglass, near Cashel, Tipperary. He also visited several pubs in order to incorporate some of those ideas into O'Donnell's. Shawn has extensive hospitality experience and operated his own restaurant since 1982, before opening O'Donnell's.
 |
|
SHAWN O'DONNELL of O'Donnell's American Grill and Irish Pub. |
O'Donnell's have a full kitchen and a banquet room that seats 85 people and can be booked for club meetings, buffets and weddings. There are several televisions where you can watch your favourite sports or there is an Irish chess set, if you feel so inclined. All the favourite Celtic beverages are available, Jamesons, Guinness, Harp, Newcastle, and Smithwicks to name a few.
O'Donnell's philosophy to running a good business is: Good service, good food and plenty of parking, and you will find all of those qualities at O'Donnell's American Grill and Irish Pub. For more information, call (425) 338-5700, www.shawnodonnells.com.
Finally, I couldn't leave Seattle, without dropping into Galway Traders Store, which is located in an old character house in the Ballard neighbourhood of Seattle. It never seems like shopping but rather like visiting. There are several rooms to roam through and each one is chock-full of beautiful gift items, food, books, music, Irish and Scottish ceramics, lovely Irish childrens' christening dresses to Celtic memorial burial urns.
Eileen, who has worked at Galway Traders for years, was telling me that Irish soft and hard dance shoes are a big seller along with the poodle socks worn by Irish dancers. So much to choose from, so little time. Yet, I never leave the store empty handed and I'm always pleased with my purchases.
 |
|
EILEEN at Galway Traders with some of their Irish dance shoes and slippers. |
Galway Traders is located at 7518 - 15th Avenue, NW. Seattle. For more information, call (206) 784-9343, or visit: www.galwaytraders.com.
| 
