St. Armands turns into St. Patrick's Circle for holiday celebrations

Whether proudly celebrating their Irish heritage or looking for a bit o' fun among friends as the peak season begins to wind down on Longboat Key, celebrants found many ways to enjoy St. Patrick's Day.

Monday afternoon, St. Armands Circle was particularly busy at Lynches Pub & Grub, the classic Irish ale house, doled out the iconic green beer. The business was proud to offer more than 120 Irish whiskeys, Guinness, corned beef and other traditional Irish fare.

Paul and Jean Whelan were happy to celebrate with Eugene Cotter and Bridget Moran, visiting from Ireland. Paul drew many cheerful smiles from passersby with his hair and mustache, dyed bright green for the occasion.

"Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit," Cotter offered as Gaelic well wishes.

Later in the day, All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church held a celebration of its own, featuring a performance by vocalists Johanna Davis, Tasha Robinson and Linda Mento-Rei. 

Parishioners then enjoyed an Irish-themed feast with a hearty stew and berry crumble that cook Jinx Kochan said took several days to prepare. But she said the task becomes easier every year with experience and is a labor of love.

Partiers at Longboat Harbour Condominiums were some of the earliest to kick off the fun this week, hosting a more than four-hour extravaganza on March 14.

Central to the celebration was a performance by some of the talented youth at The Drake School of Irish Dancers.

Instructor Catherine Cier said the dancers always look forward to performing for residents here.

"It's always been a really fun show for us," she said. "They're a great crowd. They're energetic, and they love watching the dancers."

The Coral Springs dance group, which has been together for about five years, has much to look forward to this year. Performer Sarah Daley has qualified for a national competition taking place this July.