O’Shea’s closes for St. Patrick’s Day, donates to charity

A Saskatoon bar is shutting its doors for St. Patrick’s Day.

It’s usually a very busy day for O’Shea’s Irish Pub, but they’re closing down for the night to avoid drawing a large crowd of people due to COVID-19 concerns.

They’re donating all of their prepared meals to the Friendship Inn.

Daniel Beavis, one of the owners, thinks it’s a way to find some good in a tough situation.

“We thought we don’t want this (food) to go to waste, so let’s make sure that somebody gets it and it makes people put a smile on their face. That’s what St. Patrick’s Day is all about,” he told 650 CKOM.

Making the choice to close shop for the night wasn’t an easy one.

“At a time when the world is in crisis, happiness and having a good time is very important. However, coming together in a big group is not the way to do it,” he said.

“We were kind of holding onto the hope that we could have some kind of a celebration, but it’s best for everyone to stay home. At least we can help some people.”

While the festivities won’t be the same, Beavis is still encouraging people to celebrate at home with their families and to stay optimistic.

“Things are always going to get better, and we’ll celebrate St. Patrick’s Day again another time when it’s safer.”