Paula Bryan looks back fondly on her 17 years in Ireland. Listen closely, and you can still detect the tiniest hint of a lilting Irish accent.
On March 17, she was decked out in green for the St. Patrick’s Day at The Dock in New Glasgow, where she joined her sister Tracy Roy who has worked there for 20 years.
“St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland is a wee bit different from here. Not everybody dresses in the whole green garb,” said Bryan.
In Ireland, people typically celebrate by hosting huge parades through cities, including a five-day festival in Dublin featuring Game of Thrones star Liam Cunningham.
But The Dock’s co-owner Wayne Margeson said that “everyone’s Irish for the day,” on March 17, which sees pubs across Canada and the United States packed to the rafters.
The Dock was no exception, which saw people lining up outside the door on Saturday morning before the festivities kicked off.
Margeson’s wife and pub co-owner Carmel, whose maiden name is Dennehy, is Irish and hails from the city of Cork.
She met Margeson while on holiday in Canada.
“One thing led to another,” said Margeson. “We got married over there and Carmel still has family in Ireland, so she’s over there every year.”
Her family includes a brother and sister in Ireland and another sister in England. The siblings typically meet up in October, around the time of their late mother’s birthday.
“I’ve got lots of Irish influence in me now,” quipped Margeson.
They have run The Dock in New Glasgow for 22 years.
