For the first time since 2019, New Brunswickers are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day free of all provincial COVID-19 restrictions.
This means patrons inside your favourite Irish pub can go maskless — and there can be a lot more revellers, too, without social distancing or capacity limits.
At O’Leary’s in Saint John (Canada’s self-proclaimed “Most Irish City”), co-owner Kevin Ferguson’s expecting good times into the wee hours.
“Hopefully we can get people in the proper, festive atmosphere,” he says.
The pub opened its doors at 11:30 Thursday morning, with live music starting at 3:00 in the afternoon.
Ferguson isn’t expecting a pot of gold to land at the pub’s doors, but he does say he’s expecting 90 per cent of what they would’ve seen back before COVID-19 hit.
“With the restrictions being lifted, it gives people some comfort zone — and the keyword is some comfort zone — to partake in the normal St. Patrick’s Day activities,” he says.
In pre-pandemic times, Ferguson says O’Leary’s would see about two weeks’ worth of profit on just March 17.
That was down to a grand total of $0 in March 2020, with the virus shutting things down less than a week before the big day.
In 2021, with New Brunswick under mandatory order, he says the Pub saw about 35 per cent of that.
READ MORE: Maritime pubs weather pandemic St. Patrick’s Day (2021)
“Hopefully this year we’ll get closer but… we’ll see because there’s no doubt people are still feeling a little uncomfortable,” Ferguson says.
And it’s not just the traditional venues feeling festive. Inside the Saint John City Market, local favourite Middle Eastern eatery Naan-ya Business has found a way to bring some Irish tradition to its menu Thursday.
“I’m making some green garlic aioli to give away to all our patrons,” says owner Tabraze Sheikh.
It’s the same beloved aioli the shop has always offered, but with a couple drops of festive green food colouring — and free for St. Patrick’s Day.
“Why not try a little Pakistani with that Irish beer?” he says.
“After two years of struggle going through the pandemic, it’s nice to bring some holiday cheer to everybody,” Sheikh says.
While many regulars might not expect the St. Paddy’s edge to their naan, experts say to expect the unexpected as businesses find their footing once again.
“We really bore the brunt of COVID in terms of other industries,” says Luc Erjavec, vice-president of Atlantic with Restaurants Canada.
He says 68 per cent of the groups New Brunswick-based membership reported operating at a loss in January.
Eleven per cent are breaking even and just 21 per cent turning a profit.
“So to have this opportunity to generate some much-needed revenue and bring some staff back is huge for our industry,” he says.
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