No. 1
In 2015, the best selling beer in Ireland was … wait for it … Heineken. Since then there has been a wave of craft beer breweries opening. Still, the independent craft breweries only represent 2.8% of 2017 sales, according to FORA, a news site for Irish entrepreneurs.
200K
The Blarney Stone is one of Ireland’s most famous tourist attractions. About 200,000 kisses are bestowed on the rock every year — set in the wall below the battlements of Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland. To properly earn the gift of gab, kissers must bend over backwards to kiss the stone. In 2019, one kisser died in a “tragic accident” briefly described in the Irish Independent.
1/1.14
The current rate of exchange is 1 Euro for $1.14.
90 miles
Supposedly, no one is ever more than 90 miles from water in Ireland. That, however, does not mean 90 minutes. The roads are twisty. At its widest, Ireland is about as wide as Florida, but not as long. It is 302 miles long.
117
The game of Camogie has been played in Ireland since 1903. It is a woman-only sport and looks like a cross between rugby, baseball and lacrosse. Very intense.
11%
According to census records, 11% of Monroe County residents have Irish ancestry, the second-highest nationality. German ancestry is in first place.
1928
An Irish-American named Austin Cedric Gibbons designed the iconic Oscars statuette (the little gold man). The movie award was then sculpted by George Stanley, a Los Angeles artist. He had a long career as a studio art director, winning Oscars for films such as “The Bridge of San Luis Rey” (1929) to “Somebody Up There Like Me” (1956).
EVENTS IN KEY WEST
• The 42nd annual St. Patrick’s Day Bar Stroll starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 14 at Southernmost Beach Cafe.
• All-Day Party at Shanna Key Irish Pub with live music and drink specials.
• St. Patrick’s Day Green Kayak Tour, 2 to 5 p.m. leaving from Sunset Marina, Stock Island.
• Pool Party at The Perry Hotel, noon to 3 p.m., Shrimp Road, Stock Island.
• Pepe’s Restaurant annual Corned Beef & Cabbage lunch and dinner special.
• Tattoos & Scars Pub Crawl, noon to 6 p.m. starting at 512 Greene St.
• Blarney Rubble Irish Band plays 4 to 7 p.m. at The Salty Angler on Duval St.
• Waterfront Brewery St. Patrick’s Day Party on the Roof, 1 p.m. Free T-shirts while supplies last.
EVENTS IN THE MIDDLE KEYS
• Key Colony Beach St. Patrick’s Day parade at 5 p.m. starting at 15th Street Circle toward City Hall.
• 15th annual Sparky’s Landing party serving Irish food and Guinness and Jameson
• Sunset Grille is handing out giveaways and prizes, with special food and drink with an Irish theme. Wear green!
• The party starts at noon at Key Colony Inn with drink specials and a special St. Patrick’s Day dinner.
• Castaway’s will have live music from Irish Ricky from 7 to 10 p.m. plus Irish food and drink.
• Stop in for a meal or happy hour at one of these other fine establishments: Lighthouse Grill, Marathon Grill and Ale House, Porky’s, Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House, or Dockside.
EVENTS IN THE UPPER KEYS
• Upper Keys Irish Fest at 11 a.m. at Caribbean Club, with parade at noon. Music, dancers, corned beef and cabbage and green beer.
