St. Patrick’s Day this year, like last year, is going to be different. COVID-19, while fortunately on the wane, is still out there and we all have reason to be cautious. Here, at Cronin Insurance, we put our heads together and decided that these are some of the best ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this Year:
Make a Shepherd’s Pie
Corn Beef and Cabbage is a St. Patrick’s Day classic, but if you’re in the mood for something different then we recommend trying Alton Brown’s Shepherd’s Pie recipe. The recipe is quick, delicious and absolutely perfect for a weeknight St. Patrick’s Day meal.
Try Your Hand at Pouring a Black and Tan
As with every year, we celebrate with an attempt to pour a Black and Tan. Part Guinness and part lager, the black and tan is a great and surprisingly difficult drink to make. A few years ago, Kevin Cronin tried his hand at making a black and tan and after A LOT of trial and error managed to pull it off. Check out his attempt below:
Watch a little known Irish Movie
Our resident film buff, Alex Parker, has a great film suggestion for your St Patricks Day Celebration in the inaugural edition of Parker’s Pics:
Sergeant Gerry Boyle (played by Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter and In Bruges)), the titular guard of The Guard is by all accounts a terrible officer. Corrupt, hedonistic, a drunkard and just an all-around pain; Boyle is drifting through life on a raft of depression, booze, sex and drugs. Essentially, the ideal officer to put in charge of investigations that are better not solved…which is exactly what happens. Boyle and his rookie partner are assigned to investigate a grizzly murder, that might be the work of a serial killer or just staged to look that way. To complicate things, Boyle is also tasked with baby-sitting FBI Agent Wendell Everett (played by Don Cheadle (Marvel Universe and the Ocean’s Trilogy)) who has come to Ireland to investigate a drug smuggling ring. Sure enough, it turns out the murder and the drugs are related, and Boyle is forced to team up with the strait-laced Everett to take on the vicious drug smuggling ring.
Did I mention The Guard is a comedy? I mean the preceding plot synopsis makes it sound like a dreary crime drama, but I can assure you that it is a comedy and a funny one at that. Equal parts buddy-cop and fish out of water story, The Guard is a sharply written dark comedy. The film’s writer/director John Michael McDonagh’s debut. The older brother of director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), John Michael shares his brother’s talent for punchy dialog and awkward dead pan humor. He also shares his brother’s affinity for violence and profanity. Make no mistake, The Guard is anything but a family friendly affaire.
Central to the film is Brendan Gleeson’s fantastic performance. He brings a weighty sadness to the role while also delivering rapid quips. Honestly, Gleason is one of the most versatile actors working today and it is always a treat when he is in a leading role. Don Cheadle does fantastic here as well as an American cop trying to navigate the weird politics and language barriers of Western Ireland. Rounding out the cast Mark Strong (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Sherlock Holmes) who plays the film’s English villain, who’s fed up with dealing with the small-time criminals of rural Ireland.
The Guard is foul, violent and frequently very funny. If you are looking for something with a little Irish flavor for your St Patricks Day, you can’t do much better!
Available for Streaming on Starz or for Digital Rental
Go to the Pub
Last, but not least, it’s not quite a St Patricks Day without stopping at an Irish pub. Even with COVID-19 around, there are still plenty of Pubs around here hosting St. Patrick’s day Celebrations. Our Friends at Holloway’s Irish Pub are hosting their annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration. They’ll have Irish Music, Dancers, Corned Beef and lots of fun. Stop by and you might find some of the Cronin staff there as well, after business hours of course:
Get a Quote
Finally, there is not better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than to get a quote from Cronin Insurance Agency. Be it Auto Insurance, Home Insurance or anything else, we’ll be here all day for your insurance needs.
