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Poland Library brings St. Patrick’s Day early
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Harper Kirk (left) and Colleen McNally-Harris posed during Poland Library's St. Patrick's Day celebration.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Charlie the Leprechaun shared his "gold" with children at Poland Library's St. Patrick's Day celebration.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Harper Kirk (left) and Colleen McNally-Harris posed during Poland Library's St. Patrick's Day celebration.
By TIM CLEVELAND
Poland Library and Kravitz’s Deli (located inside the library) brought St. Patrick’s Day to the area a little early March 15 with an all-day celebration.
Kravitz’s Deli owner Jack Kravitz was the main organizer of the event.
“This is actually our second annual Lunch with a Leprechaun,” he said. “We wanted to do something a little different, something that would attract families. The Poland Library is really all about families. Since the library doesn’t have beer, which is traditional for St. Patrick’s, we wanted to do a family-oriented event.”
The event featured a menu of corn beefed sandwiches, reubens, cabbage dinners, corned beef sauerkraut balls, Bailey’s cheese cake, irish soda bread and irish stout stew.
Entertainment was provided by Irish ballad singer Colleen McNally-Harris and Harper Kirk playing the harp.
In addition, Chuck Simon was there playing the role of “Charlie the Leprechaun.” He posed for pictures and passed out candy to the children.
“It’s been wonderful,” McNally-Harris said. “We’re looking forward to hopefully a lot of people coming to listen to the kind of Celtic music we play, which is more Celtic folk music, not so much what you hear in a pub.”
Kravitz said he hoped for several hundred attendees at the event.
Some of the attendees were Austintown’s Tammie Conroy and her friend Kelli Gamble. Conroy attended with her daughter Marissa and son Matthew, while Gamble brought her daughter Emma.
“We came last year and absolutely loved it and that’s why we’re back again for more,” Gamble said.
“We couldn’t wait,” Conroy added.
Kravitz said there were plenty of benefits for those attending.
“A little bit of Irish culture, a little bit of fun,” he said. “The kids can have their picture taken with a leprechaun and hear stories of how he grew from a little leprechaun to a giant leprechaun. There’s a scavenger hunt, Captain McFinn is at the bookstore. Just lots of good, family fun with an Irish theme.”