Five Great Irish Places to visit in the Bronx

There are “best of” lists for a lot of different things that are Irish: Irish bars, Irish restaurants, and Irish music, to name a few.

In an effort to encourage you to visit the Bronx, the following provides five great Irish places to visit in the Bronx.  Two are restaurants, one is a popular neighborhood and the other two are terrific sports hangouts.  All of them offer more than just food, culture and ambiance, they offer a window into the warm and friendly living history of the Irish in the Bronx.  The added benefit is you might make new friends with the people you meet and the experience will make you want to come back again and again.

Five Great Irish Places to visit in the Bronx

1. An Beal Bocht Cafe: located at 445 W. 238th St. (bet. Waldo & Greystone Ave.) In the Riverdale section of the Bronx,  call (718) 884-7127.  Open every Sunday, 4-7pm with John Redmond & friends. This is a wonderful restaurant and entertainment place to hear great Irish music or get Shepherd’s Pie, a pint of Guinness or just a delicious cup of tea.
2. The Gaelic Park Sports Centre – often called Gaelic Park, has been around since 1926 and was purchased by Manhattan College in 1991 to be used for their sports teams as well as many other American college athletic events. This multi-purpose outdoor facility is located at West 240^th street and Broadway in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx. With its playing field and dance hall, Gaelic Park hosts many hurling and football matches, as well as concerts and dances that feature Irish music both old and new.
3. Parade Grounds in Van Cortlandt Park – was first established in the Bronx in 1999.  At the time, it was a heavily used field with all the Irish immigrants in the Bronx working in the trades during the day and playing on the field on the weekends.  Given the current economic climate, many of the Irish who would play on this field have returned to Ireland.  As a result, the Bronx Irish Soccer league now only has a women’s division with eight teams.  It is a wonderful place to soak up the culture of the Bronx Irish and to get the pulse of the community and their passion for sports.
4. The Rambling House – a pub and restaurant that has traditional Irish entertainment and is located at 4292 Katonah Ave. in Woodlawn.  Every Sunday there are performances by Jameson’s Revenge.  These Irish seisiuns (sessions) are informal gatherings of musicians playing traditional Irish music, often held in Irish pubs.
5. Woodlawn (population 7,741) a decidedly middle class Irish neighborhood at the north end of the Bronx, Woodlawn has very defined boundaries. McLean Avenue to the north, which is the dividing line between the Westchester County line and the Bronx River to the east, Woodlawn Cemetery to the south and Van Cortlandt Park to the west.  Easily accessible by car, subway or Metro-North, Woodlawn is a great place to walk around and visit the various delis, restaurants and bars.

There are many more places to visit in the Bronx.   These few will whet your appetite and I promise to share more in my blog in the weeks ahead.  Stay tuned.