Time to whip out the green shirts and Leprechaun hats (suits too if you have them) and hit the streets of London because Irish or not St Patricks Day is to be enjoyed by all

‘Oh, the luck of the Irish’, as St Patrick’s day is drawing near, the shamrocks are coming out, every pub shall be filled with the very best Irish brews, there shall be parades of greens, whites and yellows and with so much to see and enjoy, here’s where you ought to begin.

The Marylebone

Be it a stereotype or a plain reality, when we first think of Irish culture and heritage, (specifically for those of us who are not Irish) 99% of the time the image that springs to our minds is one not too distant from a pub. It therefore seems fitting that we herald in the weekend of St Patrick’s day, starting on Friday 16^th March at… yes you guessed it, a pub!

But not just any pub. Some of the very best Irish pubs are found in London and will no doubt be filled with the St Patrick’s Day spirit. The Marylebone hotel is a brief 10minute walk from Soho which is home to, amongst many other bars and restaurants, The Toucan. This pub will be offering guests what has previously been described as ‘Guinness galore’. A pint of Irish with a full house of whiskies and you shall be singing and chanting in no time.

If the plan of the night is a bar crawl, do try to stumble your way towards The Porterhouse, rumoured to be the biggest chain of Irish pubs in London. The Porterhouse in Covent Garden is acknowledged for its extensive range of beers, stouts, ales and porters, all of which have been brewed in Dublin before being exported to all you St Patrick’s day revellers. With live music in the basement on Sunday afternoons it’s a great place to start or end your night.

The Kensington

With the festivities spreading out across most of central London, the grounds of Hyde Park which are only stone’s throw away from the Irish-owned hotel, The Kensington, can provide a good starting and meeting point before cascading down to the capital. Not to mention a good spot to take a break from the merriments of these 3-day celebrations.

The Bloomsbury

On Sunday 18^th March, the St Patrick’s Day Parade of flamboyant floats, marching bands and Irish dancing commences in central London. The Bloomsbury hotel is located a short walking distance from the parade’s starting point at Piccadilly where the procession will be passing from 12pm on a 1.5mile route. If you choose to follow the procession, you will be passing The Ritz, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square before finishing at Whitehall.

A key stopping point on this Irish extravaganza will be Trafalgar Square were notable Irish acts and special guests will be taking centre stage and a fleet of surrounding markets will be offering traditional and modern Irish cuisine.

Food, live music, a parade and a pub at the end of the road, doesn’t get more Irish than that.