Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day In Savannah And Dublin

Savannah has become renown in the Southeast and beyond as the place to be for one of the biggest St. Patrick’s celebrations in the nation.

But if you’re looking for a place to stay, or need to make reservations near the heart of the action this weekend, you’re just about out of luck. 

There are few rooms and no restaurant tables to be had in historic downtown Savannah, but as Kevin Benefield, the editor of Southbound, said on “City Lights” Thursday, that’s no reason to be discouraged. 

From Saturday’s famous mass at St. John the Baptist Cathedral, the parade and rugby tournament in Savannah to the Shamrock festival on Tybee Island and oyster roast on Skidaway Island, there are plenty of ways to celebrate in and around the city, and even before you get there. 

Reservations for Irish-themed meals in the historic area are no longer being taken, but downtown Savannah has plenty of food and convenience stores — most notably Parker’s — for some al fresco feasting.

“Pack a picnic lunch, and enjoy yourself in one of the historic parks,” Benefield said. 

The mass begins at 8 a.m. sharp, with the parade stepping off at 10 a.m. If you’re in it for the long haul — and we’re talking several hours here — “dress warmly and bring a chair,” Benefield said.

For a cool treat, you can’t do much better than Leopold’s Ice Cream, which will be whipping up its Guinness-flavored variety, as well as thin mints and cream.

Benefield said good lodging options can be found in Aviation Village on Tybee Island, which also will have a St. Patrick’s parade on Saturday. 

Dublin, Ga., is located off Interstate 16 between Macon and Savannah, and all this month the 50th annual Dublin St. Patrick’s Festival continues. Named by John Sawyer, the town’s first postmaster, in honor of his wife’s ancestral home, both Dublin and Laurens County get first-paragraph treatment in the James Joyce novel, “Finnegan’s Wake.”

“Go ahead and pull off the interstate,” Benefield said. “It’s worth it.”

For more on St. Patrick’s events in Savannah and environs, go to Visit Savannah. The full slate of Dublin festivities can be found at the Dublin St. Patrick’s site.Southbound magazine's Kevin Benefield has tips on how to make the most out of a weekend trip to Savannah for St. Patrick's Day festivities, but don't limit yourself to the city.