This St. Patrick’s Day, visitors to old Mechanicsville were greeted by a gathering of bagpipers, decked out for the festivities in kilts bearing the Batten of Argyll tartan.
Many drivers heading into town on Rte. 360 West did a double take, and maybe not just because bagpipers aren’t part of the usual Mechanicsville landscape. Aren’t bagpipes associated with all things Scottish?
And isn’t St. Patrick’s Day is decidedly a day for the Irish?
But, says piper Dennis Saidat, “It was the Irish who introduced to the Scots; they were called war pipes and used as an instrument of war, to inspire the troops when ready to attack. In the 1700s they were banned, it was illegal to own or play the pipes. This is the only instrument to have that distinction!”
In fact, bagpipes are inherently connected to all aspects of Celtic music, and have been referred to as the “forgotten instrument of the Emerald Isle.”
Dublin’s Irish Pub invited members of the St. Andrews Legion Pipes and Drums, a Richmond-based organization dedicated to the presentation and culture of traditional Scottish music, to add a celebratory air to the holiday.
And just as they are bringing the pipes downtown, Dublin’s is bringing the Irish spirit of camaraderie and tradition back to Mechanicsville.
Owner Mark Kapros, who opened his pub about three months ago, says that word of mouth is creating a crowd of regulars who appreciate an Irish sensibility. “This is more of a destination, that’s the whole point.”
To encourage patrons, the pub books Irish acts such as Seven Nations and Mary Smith, and has received support from St. Andrews Legion, the James River Rugby team, the Richmond chapter of the Irish American Society and the Police-Fire Emerald Society of Greater Richmond.
The pub staged a full-on St. Paddy’s Day party, complete with the best kilt walk and bangers and mash.
Half of the proceeds benefited the Knights of Columbus, with a portion of that earmarked for the Hanover Sheriff’s Office.
And even those who didn’t step into the pub had a fine time viewing the pipers from The Turnpike.
“People really enjoy it, people of all ages stop, a lot of kids who have never seen pipes before,” said Saidat. “They’re either scared to death, or amazed!”
And if you want to see the pipers again, and perhaps raise a Guinness in their honor, you don’t have to wait a year for St. Patrick’s Day to come around. Dublin’s is already planning a “we’re halfway there” event for Sept. 17.
