By tradition, on March 17 the whole world goes Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, honoring the patron saint of Ireland, and Moscow is no exception. Since the holiday’s first parade down the Arbat in 1992, St. Patrick’s has always been eagerly anticipated by Muscovites.

1. Vermel

This is a cozy basement student club with a bent toward folk music. Although its official days for Celtic music are Monday and Tuesday, you can hear it here almost every day, because the regulars just like it.

2. Rosie O’Grady’s

Moscow’s most famous pub attracts a good mixed crowd. The pub is so packed it’s impossible to find a seat, and getting a meal here can be hard. The crowd is very loud.

3. Central House of Artists, TsDKh

Apart from various art exhibitions, this place is famous for hosting highbrow concerts, including folk-music concerts. Such concerts usually draw in large crowds that hang around afterward. No surprise here, intellectuals always have a lot to say.

4. Silver’s

This is the most popular pub in the city center. It’s a pretty noisy place, especially since the front door is almost never closed. It’s quieter during the day.

5. Shamrock

Shamrock opened in 1991, taking the honor of first Irish bar in Moscow. It’s also the only Irish bar in town offering sushi. They think that since Guinness is so popular in Japan, why not serve sushi at an Irish bar in Moscow.

6. Avalon

Avalon is a gigantic new club that has begun taking the place of Tochka, which has lost momentum recently. Celtic music isn’t played here so often, but you’ll hear it regularly enough.

7. Orakul Bozhestvennoi Butylky

This is a basement spot for lovers of rock and folk music. It’s very similar to Vermel, but cheaper. The bands that perform here aren’t as well-known as they’re fancifully titled. Students and creative types hang out here.

8. Tochka

This is a very dark, loud and capacious place particularly famous as a rock club. Sometimes, however, it hosts Celtic events too, which draw in varying numbers.

9. Dom

Given the place’s reputation as a bulwark of avant-garde culture, you wouldn’t expect to hear Celtic music here. But it is played, and it sounds pretty good. Add some booze and all will be fine.

10. Doug & Marty’s

This large bar attracts expats on generous expense accounts and questionable girls. At one time, it was known for its rough reputation, but it seems to have quieted somewhat.

LOCATIONS:

Vermel

4/5 Raushskaya Nab. Metro: Novokuznetskaya Tel: 959-3303

Rosie O’Grady’s

9/12 Znamenka Ul. Metro: Borovitskaya Tel: 203-7258

Silver’s

30 Nikitsky Per. Metro: Okhotny Ryad Tel: 292-5388

Shamrock

11 Novy Arbat Ul., shopping center Novoarbatsky

Metro: Arbatskaya Tel: 291-7981

Avalon

10 Dokukina Ul., bldg. 2 Metro: VDNKh Tel: 258-8972

Orakul Bozhestvennoi Butylky

1 Sredniy Ovchinnikovsky Per., bldg. 13 Metro: Tretyakovskaya Tel: 953-0556

Tochka

4 Zvenigorodskoye Shosse Metro: Ulitsa 1905 Goda Tel: 253-4355

Dom

24 Bolshoi Ovchinnikovsky Per., bldg. 4 Metro: Novokuznetskaya Tel: 953-7236

Doug & Marty’s

26 Zemlyanoi Val Ul. Metro: Kurskaya Tel: 917-0150