Thursday, September 17, 2009 scored my eighth annual toast of “Cheers to your health and that of your Mother” in traditional observance of the Irish Equinox. (click here for some background). This year’s toast was held at Paddy Coyne’s Irish Pub in Bellevue, Washington. And true to form I reached my "equinoctial point" (about four pints) a pint or two prior to our departure.
Incidentally, 4,400 miles (7,092km) to the east is Paddy Coyne’s Public House, the presumed namesake at Tully Cross in scenic and desolate Connemara on the West coast of Ireland. It was established in 1811 by Patrick "Paddy" Coyne.
This Paddy Coyne’s in Bellevue is one of three such Paddy Coyne’s pubs in the Seattle/Tacoma area. There the Guinness is good, the atmosphere is sweet and the food is excellent. Oh, and the company was familiar despite being 1,350 miles (2,175km) from home. And on this occasion, I
had the pleasure of much company. In fact, our little group of twenty or so comprised the bulk of the patronage. We had visitors from Redmond, Washington, Omaha, Grand Island, Norfolk, Wayne and Wahoo, Nebraska, Missouri Valley and Ames, Iowa and South Bend, Indiana. Included in the mix were my wife and three daughters, a close friend of my oldest daughter, my Dad, my wife’s parents, two of my wife’s sisters and their families and two couples from Omaha who are among Denise and my closest friends.
If I’m not mistaken, on this night the Emerald City seemed a wee bit greener. And as long as we were all in town, we decided to stick around and catch my daughter’s wedding on Saturday.
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