OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Clancy's Pub in West Omaha celebrated St. Patrick's Day starting at 6 a.m. Tuesday with green beer and Irish dancing.
- We spoke to neighbors out celebrating with friends and family.
- One neighbor described the holiday like this, "Think of any other holiday that is welcoming and so much fun loving as this. It'd be hard pressed to find one."
- Video shows Irish dancing, neighbors dancing to live music and celebrating the holiday in style.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
From green beer to Guinness, the St. Patrick's Day celebration at Clancy's Pub started early Tuesday morning and the neighbors who showed up say there's no better reason to get out on a weekday.
The party at the pub near 168th and West Center Road kicked off at 6 a.m., drawing a crowd of regulars who come back year after year for the holiday.
Randy Belmont, co-owner of Clancy's, said the early morning rush is a tradition.
"Probably had 35, 40 people in here, pretty much the same 40 people we have every year, and that's when it starts taking off and it's starting to get busier as we go," Belmont said.
Some neighbors came prepared.
"I got here at 8:00 a.m., got our table," Mary Linstroth said.
"Well, we come here every year, same table," Greg Most said.
For others, Tuesday marked a rare day off in honor of the feast day of St. Patrick.
"We're just out having a good time. I figured I'd take the day off because I've never done it for St. Paddy's Day," Lawrence said.
Lawrence said celebrating on the actual holiday brings a different energy than the weekend festivities.
"You gotta, feel a little bit more in the spirit, you know," Lawrence said.
Mike Wear arrived with a unique companion, a stuffed animal named Molly McDuck, and a take on why St. Patrick's Day stands apart from other holidays.
"Think of any other holiday that is welcoming and so much fun loving as this. It'd be hard pressed to find one," Wear said.
Wear also offered a lighthearted explanation for Molly McDuck's role in the celebration.
"Molly has been around many, many years. If you pet her just right, she will produce for you, but it doesn't go as far as it used to. It's inflation," Wear said.
The celebration featured Irish dancing, live music and plenty of clapping from the crowd. Beyond St. Patrick's Day, Clancy's is expecting a full week of festivities, with multiple screens available for neighbors to watch the NCAA tournament.
