Irish-Heritage Celebrations Take a Festive Turn

If you’ve got any Irish in you, or just wish you did, St. Patrick’s Day is the time to delight in all things Irish.

Irish-Americans everywhere commemorate this day in honor of the patron saint of Ireland who died on March 17 in about 461. In local theaters, festival halls and pubs, those with Irish ancestors or emotional ties to Ireland are celebrating.

Additionally, this week has been designated as American-Irish Heritage Week by the city of Los Angeles, in recognition of the contributions of the Irish to the growth of California. Further adding to the season’s specialness to the Irish community, this year is Dublin’s millennium anniversary.

The following resources are available for exploring local Irish events year-round:

The Southern California Calendar of Irish Events, a monthly newsletter, costs $12 a year. For a free copy or a subscription, write to 1135 Norton Ave., Glendale, Calif. 91202.

Irish American Press is a monthly tabloid available free at various locations, or by subscription for $18 a year; write to 2554 Lincoln Blvd., Marina del Rey, Calif. 90291, or telephone (213) 451-3438.

Irish America is a feature magazine that costs $20 for an 11-issue annual subscription. Write P.O. Box 5141, Grand Central Station, New York, N.Y. 10163, or telephone (212) 725-2993. Meanwhile, here are 10 ways to “go Irish”:

Buy an Irish hat or a shillelagh. Several Southland shops sell the familiar tweed Irish hat and the shillelagh, a two-foot-long stick with a large head; it originated in the village of the same name. In addition, these shops carry such imported items as Irish records and cassette tapes, Waterford crystal, hand-knit sweaters, collector’s items, jewelry and Irish foods.

--Irish Import Shop and Irish Information Service, 738 N. Vine St., Hollywood, (213) 467-6714. This 26-year-old shop offers a large selection of Irish goods.

--Carroll-McKenzie Scottish and Irish Imports, 1413 Santa Monica Mall (outside the mall on 3rd Street), Santa Monica, (213) 393-3321.

--Shamrock Imports, 7949 Laurel Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 764-3935.

--Irish Shop, 3509 5th Ave., San Diego, (619) 299-7812.

--Victoria Shop Scottish Imports, 214 2nd St., Claremont, (714) 621-9100. Also carries Irish imports.

See an Irish play or movie. “Bound East for Cardiff” and “The Long Voyage Home,” two one-act plays by Eugene O’Neill, will play through mid-April in honor of O’Neill’s 100th birthday, at the Celtic Arts Center, 5651 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, (213) 462-6844.

--Irish movies screening around town or soon to be released include director John Huston’s “The Dead,” based on a story from James Joyce’s “Dubliners”; “The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne,” about a woman’s relationship with a man in Dublin; “Da,” about a playwright who returns home to Ireland to attend his father’s funeral, and “The Courier,” about two friends’ adventures in present-day Dublin.

Wear a claddagh ring. This traditional Irish wedding or friendship ring originated in an area known as Claddagh, County Galway. It symbolizes friendship, love and loyalty, with a design showing two hands holding a heart with a crown on top. Prices vary from about $25 to $200 for rings in silver or gold. They are for sale at Irish import shops. You can also get one from Bill Dowling’s Celtic Jewelry Imports in West Covina. For an appointment or a brochure, call (818) 338-7400.

Listen to an Irish radio program. There are several regularly scheduled.

--”The Irish Hour,” a music, news and feature program, airs Sundays 3:05 to 4 p.m. on KIEV-AM (87). Telephone (213) 245-2388.

--”The Thistle and Shamrock,” a program of folk music, is on Saturdays 8 to 9 p.m. on KUSC-FM (91.5). Telephone (213) 743-5872.

--”The Highlands and Ireland” is an hour of Scottish and Irish music, airing Saturdays 3 to 4 p.m. on KMAX-FM (107). Telephone (714) 621-9100.

Attend an Irish fair or special event. On May 28 and 29, an Irish festival will feature contests of traditional Irish games, dances, booths, food and Irish music provided by Innisfree Irish Show Band. It is at Brothers of St. Patrick Church, 7820 Bolsa Ave., Midway City, in Orange County, (714) 897-8181.

--The Grand National Irish Fair and Music Festival June 10-12 will take place at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank. Friday from 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., fair goers will have an opportunity to learn ceili dancing (group dancing similar to English country dancing). On the weekend, the Irish Chieftains will perform traditional Irish music, and there will be a Connemara pony show with 100 ponies. On Saturday and Sunday, hours will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For information, call (213) 202-8846; for tickets, call (213) 202-8587.

--On April 10, the Irish Fair Foundation will present the 1988 Southern California Rose of Tralee Presentation Ball and Pageant at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center. Cocktails will be at 6:30 p.m. (with members of the Kelly School of Irish Dancing performing), followed by a dinner, pageant and music by vocalist Margaret O’Carroll and the Des Regan Irish Show Band. The emcee will be TV personality Kevin O’Connell. Tickets are $35. For reservations, call (213) 322-2802, (818) 906-8029 or (714) 523- 5784.

--The Boys of the Lough, who sing Celtic songs of Ireland, Scotland, Northumberland and the Shetland Isles, will appear Fridayat 8 p.m. at El Camino College’s Marsee Auditorium, Crenshaw and Redondo Beach boulevards, Torrance. Tickets are $12-$18. Call (213) 329-5345 or (800) 832-ARTS.

--On Saturday, Reel to Reel will perform at the Old World Village, 7561 Center Ave., Huntington Beach, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. At 8 p.m., the Irish Band will perform at the Fret House, 309 N. Citrus Ave., Covina. Call (818) 339-7020 for information.

Watch Irish lawn bowlers. Thirty-six visiting lawn bowlers from the Enkalon Outdoor Bowling Club, which is based just north of Belfast in Northern Ireland, will show off their skill and compete with local lawn bowlers on the four greens of the Santa Anita Bowling Green Club in Arcadia County Park, 405 S. Santa Anita Ave., Arcadia, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today. For information call event chairwoman Nancy Trask at (818) 449-5460.

Get literary. “Trinity,” Leon Uris’ popular novel re-creating Ireland’s struggle for independence, will be read by 40 actors of the Grove Theatre Company in a 24-hour marathon beginning Saturday. The author will participate. A reception will be held at 6 p.m., with the performance following at 7 p.m. Admission is free at any time during the reading. Festival Amphitheater, 12852 Main St., Garden Grove, (714) 636-7213.

Make Irish stew or Irish coffee. Asked what makes Irish stew “Irish,” Wanda, a cook at Patrick’s Road House on Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica, said: “Use cubed lamb, lightly sauted, don’t add tomatoes so the color stays light, add diced turnips to take away the lamb smell and to make a nice texture. Add four tablespoons of cornstarch, some parsley if you like, diced potatoes the last 45 minutes, and perhaps peas the last five minutes. The Irish don’t add many spices.”

--Make Irish coffee. Here’s a tongue-in-cheek recipe suggested by Richard Patrick Jones of the Irish Information Service:

“Take coffee as strong as a friendly handshake, sugar as sweet as a colleen’s kiss, whiskey as smooth as the tongue of a rogue, and top it with a head of lightly whipped cream rich as an Irish brogue.”

Dance an Irish jig. Irish dancer Margaret Cleary teaches Irish dancing in ongoing classes on Wednesdays at St. Ambrose Parish Hall, 1281 N. Fairfax Ave., West Hollywood. Solo and figure dancing classes for children are taught at 6 p.m. Ceili dancing is taught at 8 p.m. The cost is $20 per month. Call (213) 658-5845.

Eat, drink and be merry at an Irish pub. Special St. Patrick’s Day entertainment, as well as the usual Irish food, beer, spirits, are at many Irish pubs. Here are just a few:

--Looney’s Tavern, 20320 S. Western Ave., Torrance, (213) 328-8266. Lunch and dinner. A new beer garden will open on St. Patrick’s Day.

--Ireland’s 32, 13721 Burbank Blvd., Van Nuys, (818) 785-4031. Dancing to live band Wednesday and Friday-Sunday from 9 p.m.

--Milly O’Malley’s Pub, 1301 5th Street, Santa Monica, (213) 394-9490. Dancing to the Mulligans on Friday and Saturday nights. Lunch, darts, pool, weekday happy hour.

--Silky Sullivan’s Restaurant and Irish Pub, 10201 Slater Ave., Fountain Valley, (714) 963-2718. Irish music by the Mulligans the 17th of every month from 9 p.m. (today they will play from 1 to 4:30 p.m.). St. Patrick’s celebration through March 20. Dancing.

--Tom Bergin’s, 840 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 936-7151. No entertainment, but open today 6 a.m.-2 a.m. in honor of the day.

--Muldoon’s Irish Pub, 202 Newport Center Drive, Fashion Island, Newport Beach, (714) 640-4110. Live entertainment Friday and Saturday evenings. Tonight the Innisfree Irish Band is featured.

--Des Regan’s Irish Pub, 4311 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, (818) 845-1036. “St. Patrick’s Week” features live bands and Irish music Wednesday through Sunday evenings. During the rest of the year, dancing is Friday and Saturday evenings.

--Molly Malone’s, 575 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 935-1577. Lunch served weekdays. Live entertainment Wednesday through Sunday from 9:30 p.m. (Today there will be food and entertainment all day.)

--Monahan’s Pub, 110 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena, (818) 449-4151. In-person singer Monday through Saturday. Dancing.

--Loch Ness Monster Pub, 66 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, (818) 795-2160. Train to Sligo performs Friday evenings. Lunch is available. Dancing.