CLEVELAND — About 14 to 16% of Ohioans claim some form of Irish ancestry, according to U.S. census data.  

What You Need To Know

  • Flannery's Pub in downtown Cleveland will get thousands of customers on St. Patrick's Day

  • The Irish pub has been brining its own corned beef since 1997

  • Approximately 20% of Cleveand-area residents claim Irish ancestry

It’s as high as 20% in Cleveland. But on a day like St. Patrick’s Day, it feels like a significant amount of Ohio becomes Irish.

There are two things Irish bars and restaurants keep in mind when prepping for St. Patrick’s Day. Weather and the day of the week. For pubs in Ohio, neither one is in their favor this year. The holiday lands on a Monday and it’s cold.

“But it doesn’t matter because it’s Cleveland and it’s St. Paddy’s Day and everybody comes out for St Patrick’s day in Cleveland,” said Sean O’Donnell, general manager of Flannery’s Pub in downtown Cleveland.

Doors open at 8 a.m. and most come to get themselves a cold Irish beer.

“Thousands on thousands, yeah…like a lot,” O’Donnell said with a laugh.

Flannery’s Pub is stocked with 35 kegs of Guinness beer alone, but the day is about more than just beer. There will be corn beef sandwiches, fish and chips, along with other Irish favorites.

“It’s just people trying to eat enough food just to survive the day. It’s not exactly a culinary experience,” O’Donnell said.

Flannery’s Pub has been brining its own corn beef since 1997. They’ll go through about 150 pounds on the big day and that’s not cheap.

“Suppliers aren’t gonna take a hit so you can see them starting to edge it up a little bit,” he said.

As for green beer, you won’t find that here.

“It’s really ridiculous to have people drinking green beer. Some lunatic invented that years ago,” said Kevin Reynolds of Rocky River.

O’Donnell said they’re purists about their beer.

“My cousin would probably slap me the if I gave him a green beer,” McDonnell said.