Nice article about the best way to spend a full day in New York on St. Patrick’s Day, which falls on 17th of March. Here’s the summary - The day starts with mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (460 Madison Ave New York NY 10022). Next up is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Fifth Avenue, which starts at 11.30 a.m., and proceeds from 44th Street to the 86th. Parade ends around 3 in the afternoon, so that’s a good time for finding an Irish pub for some Sheperd’s Pie and free flowing Irish beer. 

If you see an all-green restaurant, head right in. It’s likely to be an Irish pub. The New York Times helpfully lists a survey and its opinion of the best Irish pubs in NYC.

WHAT qualifies a New York bar as Irish? Irish ownership is good; Irish accents behind the bar are better. Multiple ever-flowing Guinness taps with skilled, patient pourers are good; supplementing them with Smithwick’s ale and Magners cider on tap is better. Irish flags and Guinness signs are O.K.; old posters from County This and County That are really cool. Even with those qualifications, though, there are dozens if not hundreds of Irish bars to choose from should you be in New York for St. Patrick’s Day (or any time).