Irish eyes smile at Finaghty’s

You didn’t have to Irish — but it helped — to partake in the party at Finaghty’s Irish Pub in Snoqualmie.

You didn’t have to Irish — but it helped — to partake in the party at Finaghty’s Irish Pub in Snoqualmie.

Business was brisk on Tuesday, March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, for the one-year-old Snoqualmie Ridge pub.

The day is one of the year’s busiest, said Finaghty’s owner Phil Stafford.

Some patrons and staff dressed for the occasion. Waitress Katie Glore sported a glittery shamrock on her right cheek, while guest Charlie Watters, at the bar, was decked out in green shirt, beads and a white-and-green spiked, clover-bedecked cap that proclaimed his Gaelic spirit.

Watters is half Irish.

“Unfortunately, I’ve not been to Ireland,” he said. “My wife and I do plan on going.”

Until Watters can visit the Emerald Isle, St. Patrick’s Day is about remembering his Irish heritage and having a good time in the bargain. He planned on celebrating at home with traditional St. Patrick’s Day food and drink, including corned beef and cabbage.

Guiness cap on his head, Jerry Maesner of Bellevue stopped by to have a beer, after visiting his daughter in Snoqualmie.

“I love it,” he said.

Finaghty’s bartender Glen Fowler said the St. Pattry’s day revelry began at the bar a day early. Finaghty’s recent expansion into the former space of Nick and Willy’s Pizza has helped the business grow.