HALIFAX — Long before the crack of dawn, with rain pouring down coupled with 80 km/h wind gusts, Shane Langille waited to get inside The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse to kick off St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. “You’ve got to get here early if you want to get in the door,” said Langille, who entered the alehouse in downtown Halifax along with nearly 200 people after an hour’s wait. “We had rain gear and I wouldn’t miss this because everybody is always so nice, excited and happy.” The draft beer on tap poured non-stop on what is easily The Old Triangle’s busiest day of the year. “By far the busiest,” said owner Brendan Doherty. “Everyone comes to celebrate, eat breakfast, have some drinks and stay dry.” Sandy Houston arrived around 7 a.m., but by midday he needed to step outside for some fresh air. “I’m actually Scottish,” Houston said with a laugh. “Not a lot of Irish in me, mostly Scottish and English, but still, I never miss this.” Celebrating culture In a city steeped in Irish heritage and history, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations go back more than two centuries in Halifax. The vibe inside the alehouse was non-stop singing and dancing by people wearing St. Patrick’s Day costumes and green clothing. “This is everyone coming together with community and celebrating culture,” said Rebecca Dunn. “That’s one of the things I love about Nova Scotia.” Even in the torrential rain, for many it was a “can’t miss” date on the calendar. “We are very grateful to have so many people come out and celebrate with us every year,” said Doherty. “Even with the weather being awful, it’s a treat.” The Old Triangle was scheduled to stay open past midnight, which meant that for a lot of people, St. Patrick’s Day was a full day of fun celebrations — inside and away from the nasty weather outside.
