For the Love of Ireland: Pittsburgh Celebrates the Emerald Isle’s Culture, Food + Drink All Year-Long

Pittsburgh honors all things Irish throughout the year, thanks to restaurants and pubs that keep the warmth and spirit strong. You can also wander through the Irish Room at the Cathedral of Learning to take in Romanesque-styled architecture (reminiscent of a medieval oratory), a Book of Kells facsimile and Harry Clarke Studios windows that showcase great teaching saints: Finnian, Columbkille and Carthach.

At the Heinz History Center, learn about Irish American culture in Western Pennsylvania inside the long-term Special Collections Gallery, which features some artifacts from Irish families. You’ll also see local relics like the large shamrock sign that used to hang outside of Market Square’s Gallagher’s Pub, which closed in 1996. The pub served both social and cultural functions, and supported traditions like the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. Each year the History Center also hosts a popular Irish Genealogy Workshop that helps local Irish Americans discover how to research their own family history in the museum’s Detre Library & Archives.

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Heinz History Center
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Heinz History Center

Of course, this spring brings more Irish buzz to our city than ever, since the airport announced the arrival of a brand-new, non-stop flight to Dublin that will debut in late May. As of May 25, you can fly Aer Lingus direct from Pittsburgh International Airport to Dublin, a city we promise will embrace you with open arms.

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Pittsburgh International Airport
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Pittsburgh International Airport

To study up more on this city’s distinctive connections, dive into books like “Irish Pittsburgh,” which explores the fact that many modern Irish Pittsburghers can trace their roots to immigrants who fled Ireland in the mid-1800s, in the midst of the devastating Great Potato Famine. Heinz curators share data from the 1910 census that shows, of the Allegheny County immigrant population at that time, 26,721 had been born in Ireland. (In 1910, 26 percent of Pittsburgh’s population were foreign-born.)

“What’s the craic?”

These days, each March the city welcomes its beloved St. Patrick’s Day Parade to downtown streets. Then September ushers in The Pittsburgh Irish Festival, which for 30-plus years has feted the Emerald Isle’s rich culture plus its distinctive ties to our city through music, food and dance.

For music lovers, Irish and Irish-inspired bands stop by city-wide stages throughout the year. The charming trio Socks in the Frying Pan from West Ireland’s County Clare recently brought their traditional, toe-tapping tunes to City Winery. And on Tuesday, April 14, Thunderbird hosts Carbon Leaf, a quintet from Richmond, Virginia, known for their alt-country, Celtic and folk-infused indie music. Casual Irish pubs host musicians on a regular basis, too.

Pints + Festive Plates

For St. Patrick’s Day, certain restaurants pulled out all the stops to incorporate Irish fare into parade day (and sometimes weeks surrounding the event). This year, for example, we were were impressed by creativity spanning from City Kitchen’s Saint Paddy Sprtizes and Irish Pub Burgers (think smoky gouda, stout aioli, caramelized onions and sauteed cabbage) to The Commoner’s brunch delights like Corned Brisket Hash with Jameson Irish coffees. Khalil’s put their own twist on things with offerings like Syrian Irish Stew alongside a O’Tahini’s, McMartini (featuring Irish cream, tahini and vodka).

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Ritual House

Yet certain venues feature tasty traditional dishes all year-long, like Mullaney's Harp & Fiddle, a beloved pub in the Strip that often serves up lively tunes, too. Dive into a shepherd's pie or platter of fish ‘n’ chips while chatting with friends old and new. Other popular hangouts range from cozy Monterey, a “modernly historic pub” nestled into the Northside’s Mexican War Streets, to newer additions like Cork Harbour Pub, a warm and welcoming space in which to enjoy pints (Guinness, Smithwick, Harp, some local options too), Irish whiskeys and house cocktails. Other pubs seek inspiration from the broader British Isles, like J. Gough's Tavern in Greenfield and Piper's on the Southside, which is a haven for footie fanatics as well as patrons seeking their pint selections and delicious dishes, including Scotch eggs, curry and chips, bangers and mash and the rarely-found vegan shepherdless pie. Sláinte!

Corinne W

Author

Corinne W

Freelance Writer & Editor

Corinne is happy to be back closer to home (D.C.) after 11 years in the glorious Pacific Northwest. Though she cherishes global adventures, she also lives for discovering local gems, from the best spots for coffee, conversation and soul-nourishing music, to water activities and trails on which to walk a loveable little husky. You can follow her on Instagram at @travelcorx

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