Tyler McNally of the Denver Gaels says the local Irish sports club, which promotes the rarefied games of Irish football and hurling, is growing all the time. That, he notes, is because, more than anything, it's purely authentic. "A lot of our members are the real thing -- expatriates from Ireland -- and the Gaels are the Irish club of Denver," McNally boasts. In the past year, the nonproft association has added a season of indoor hurling -- for the uninitiated, it's an ancient Gaelic team sport played with scoop-like sticks called hurleys, which are used to throw the ball, or sliotar. And beginning later this month, after annual St. Patty's festivities, they'll be offering a series of Gaelic football and hurling clinics for beginners. In May, the Gaels will also travel south to Albuqueque for a national exhibition.
All that business costs money, of course. Hence, one of the best fundraisers around: The Gaels will be hosting their auspicious annual Paddy Wagon Pub Crawl on Saturday February 28, from 4:30 to 11:30 p.m., with (as they love to say) "400 of their best friends." Because last year's crowd overflowed, they've added an additional pub to this year's crawl: Begin your trek at either the Irish Rover, 54 S. Broadway, or at the nearby Dougherty's Irish Pub, 5 E. Ellsworth Avenue. Additional carousing spots include the Celtic Tavern, Scruffy Murphy's and Highland Park Tavern -- and bus transportation is provided.
"Tell people to get ready for an authentic Irish night out," McNally cajoles. "It's sure to be a raucous good time, and there'll be some good fundraising for the club going on, too."
Sleinte! Tickets are $40 and include free beer on the buses, a commemorative t-shirt and drink specials, as well as "much singing, some dancing, a lot of staggering, and countless hours of entertainment." Reserve your passport today at the Denver Gaels website.
For more ways to rock the night and kill the day, go to westword.com/calendar.
