With so many Irish ex-pats not to mention tonnes of Irish bars, it’s safe to say there is plenty of places to celebrate St Patricks Day in Abu Dhabi.
Be it Halloween, Diwali, Christmas, or Chinese New Year, Abu Dhabi marks so many international celebrations!
Officially the day is supposed to commemorate Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, as well as Irish heritage and culture.
As the years have passed, St. Patricks Day has gradually evolved into a worldwide festival, complete with parades, céilithes and celebrants dressing up in green outfits.
Don’t forget Mother’s Day is just a few days after!
St Patricks Day Abu Dhabi
While Abu Dhabi may be miles away from Ireland, there is no shortage of Irish people in the Emirate with so many working as teachers and nurses.
The Irish in Abu Dhabi are sure to celebrate their national day at one of the venues on March 17th especially since it falls on a Friday. The celebration falls on the same day every year.
Irrespective of whether you are Irish or not, get involved with festive brunches and celebrations themed around the four-leaf clover in Abu Dhabi and of course, be sure to wear something green!
With several Irish pubs and restaurants offering traditional Irish food and drinks, read along as we highlight the top venues to keep an eye out for the best craic in the capital.
1. St Patricks Day Brunch At PJ’s O’Reilly
There’s no better place to celebrate St Patricks Day in Abu Dhabi than PJ’s O’Reilly, the oldest standing Irish pub in the capital.
With a prime location in Downtown Abu Dhabi, the quaint Irish pub has walls decorated with Gaelic text and impressive decorations linked to good old Jameson, a fine Irish whiskey.
Gather the crew, dress up in green and head to the top Irish BBQ Brunch in town. Sing along to the tunes with the in-house DJ and enjoy live performances by Sweet Chilli Jam Band.
Dine and drink away at one of the biggest showdowns before the holy season of Ramadan commences.
For bookings and more information, call +971 2 695 0515.
Prices: AED 295 per person
Timings: 1 PM to 5 PM (Saturday)
Location: Le Royal Méridien, Sheikh Khalifa Street – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
2. Go Green At Mc Gettigans Abu Dhabi
Mc Gettigans, Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi is well known in the city for its daily weekday offers, delicious bar bites, burgers and upbeat party atmosphere.
The Irish-American pub prepares to celebrate St Patricks Day Abu Dhabi all weekend long with the St Paddy’s Day Table brunch.
Enjoy a selection of Irish-inspired dishes and drinks, live entertainment, Irish-themed competitions, and the chance to win some fantastic prizes.
All the while, the ambience will be lit with the iconic colour of the Emerald Isle, with walls, furniture and decorations draped in shades of green.
The unique Irish-inspired dishes will offer a variety of flavours, from traditional favourites to creative new dishes.
The dessert trolley will showcase a selection of sweet treats with a special touch of Irish charm, making it a traditional experience.
For more information and to book a table, call +971 2 698 8137.
Prices: Starting from AED 280 per person, all-inclusive
Timings: 12 PM to 4 PM (March 17 to 19)
Location: Al – 925 Sultan Bin Zayed The First Street – Muroor Rd – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
3. St Patricks Day At The Irish Vickers
Hailed as an Irish super pub and the most significant Irish bar in Abu Dhabi, The Irish Vickers is gearing up to make sure patrons have an unforgettable St Patricks Day in Abu Dhabi.
In keeping with the traditions, the venue has celebrations on for the whole month of March.
With weekly promotions on Irish bevvies and grub, the food menu offers everything from full Irish breakfasts to cottage pies and Irish chicken curry. Yes- Irish chicken curry is a thing!
The menu offers all the essentials for a traditional St Patricks Day in Abu Dhabi.
Catch the Six Nations GAA Cup or live entertainment from Eamonn Bolton, Aon Sceal, Tone Deaf, DJ Teddy Reynolds, and Clodagh Bradley.
Make sure to have a green, white and orange outfit for a fun-filled day at Vickers.
For more information and bookings, call +971 2 886 9636.
Prices: Weekly specials through the month of March, Check the Instagram handle for details.
Beverages for AED 17 on March 17 from 12 PM to 6 PM
Timings: 12 PM to 4 AM (March 1 to March 31)
Location: WTC Mall – The Hub – Level 6 – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
4. St Patricks Day At Captain’s Arms
Captain’s Arm at Le Meridien is likely to draw in a large crowd of people looking to celebrate St Patricks Day Abu Dhabi.
The decorations, food and drink specials, live entertainment, and fun activities are bound to create an inviting and enjoyable atmosphere for patrons.
Offering indoor and outdoor seating areas, pick a spot and feast on the Irish menu including delicacies, such as Guinness steak pies and bangers and mash. Not to mention, sharing platters with an all-day happy hour on hops and selected drinks.
For reservations and for more information, call +971 56 688 5361.
Prices: AED 69 per Irish dish
AED 109 for a roast and a beverage.
Timings: 12 PM to 2 AM
Location: Le Meridien Abu Dhabi – Tourist Club Area – Al Zahiyah – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
5. St Paddy’s Day At Victor’s Abu Dhabi
Victor’s Pub Abu Dhabi is a sister pub to the Irish Vickers brand extending the Irish Pub scene to another catchment area within the city.
The lively atmosphere of the bar draws the Irish from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and other Emirates.
For all the sports enthusiasts, the venue has 21 screens spread across a relatively large space, so there’s no need to miss the Six Nations GAA Cup action during the St Patricks Day Abu Dhabi celebration.
Throughout the week, they have daily offers, as well as St Patrick’s Day offers for the whole month of March.
On Sunday, opt for a full Irish breakfast with three house drinks or a Sunday roast with one house drink for 109 AED between midday and 6 pm.
For reservations and more information, call +971 50 393 5529.
Prices: Check their IG page for up-to-date information
Timings: 12 PM to 3 AM
Location: Millenium Al Rawdah Hotel – Al Rawdah – W68 – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
6. Murphy’s Sports Bar
A hidden gem located a 30-minute drive from Downtown Abu Dhabi and thousands of miles away from the lush green grasslands of the Emerald Isle is Murphys Sports Bar.
Being easily accessible from Abu Dhabi International Airport, it’s perfect for those on a stopover on St Patricks Day for a couple of drinks.
Known to serve up delicious pub grub and burger towers, enjoy a game of snooker, darts and a handful of arcade machines.
Being an Irish Pub, Murphy’s Sports Bar has definitely got a few tricks up its sleeve for St Patricks Day.
Offering indoor and outdoor seating options overlooking the Al Ghazal Golf Course, it’s a lovely place to celebrate.
To make a booking or for more information, call +971 2 505 5023.
Prices: A la carte
Timings: 10 AM to 2 AM (Sunday to Thursday)
10 AM to 3 AM (Friday and Saturday)
Location: Al Ghazal Golf Club Airport Freezone Area – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
7. Culann Aries By The Irish Vickers
Culann Aries, the youngest of The Irish Vickers brand opened its doors in late 2022 on Yas Island, bringing a new dynamic to the Irish pub scene in Abu Dhabi.
The trendy café-styled restaurant offers an upmarket Irish dining experience with a variety of Irish delicacies on its menu as well as a wide range of beverages to suit all tastes.
With exciting offers and buy-one-get-one deals throughout the week, Culaan Aries is a must-add to the list of those planning to do a cheeky pub crawl for St Patricks Day in Abu Dhabi.
For more information and for group bookings, call +971 2 632 9252.
Prices: Multiple offers throughout the week
Timings: 12 PM to 1 AM (Monday to Friday)
Location: FJJ9+9M – Yas Island – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
8. Fado Irish Pub
Contrary to the venues previously mentioned, Fado Irish Pub Abu Dhabi is reminiscent of a quiet, cosy Irish pub in the countryside.
There is a simple layout to the pub providing all the essentials to make it a comfortable atmosphere.
As an Irish pub, it ticks all the boxes with live music, international sports events, daily specials, speciality food and happy hours.
Raise your glasses, chant Sláinte, sing along to a few traditional Irish songs and let the good times roll!
For more information and to make a booking, call +971 2 692 2218.
Happy Hour: 12 PM to 8 PM (Daily)
Timings: 12 PM to 2 AM (Sunday to Thursday)
12 PM to 3 AM (Friday and Saturday)
Location: Oryx Hotel Corniche Road – Zayed The First St – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
9.Hemingway’s
Although Hemingway’s is an English sports bar, they do celebrate St Patricks Day in Abu Dhabi.
The bar’s reputation for discounted drinks and all-time favourite dishes makes it a popular choice with partygoers, who include this bar in the annual pub crawl, aka 12 pubs of Christmas.
As part of the St. Patrick’s Day in Abu Dhabi celebration, Hemingways goes Irish! To celebrate the holiday and create a festive atmosphere, the pub offers a variety of food and drink specials including the iconic shepherd’s pie, slow-cooked roast and kegs of hops.
To add to the festive atmosphere, live entertainment and plenty of fun activities bring Irish vibes straight to the heart of Abu Dhabi.
For further details and to make a booking, call +971 2 692 4999.
Prices: Starting from AED 89 for food and drink specials
A la carte options available
Timings: 4 PM to 1 AM
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel – F87G+26 – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
10. Tavern Pub
A traditional and cosy pub, the Taven Pub has long been a place for watching soccer tournaments and cricket in downtown Abu Dhabi.
Keep an eye out for their St. Patricks Day offering and grab a pint of beer for a special price of only AED 17.
For more information and to make a reservation, call +971 2 697 0260.
Prices: AED 17 for selected pints of beer on March 17
Timings: 12 PM to 3 AM
Location: Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort، Corniche Road East – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
St Patricks Day Abu Dhabi FAQs
Why do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?
As the patron saint of Ireland and the apostle of Ireland, Patrick played an important role in bringing Roman Catholicism to Ireland.
It has become a worldwide tradition to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17.
What is the relevance of wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day?
The traditional custom of wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day is to avoid being pinched by leprechauns!
In folklore, wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns, who like to pinch people who see them.
What brings good luck on St Paddy’s Day?
The four-leaf clover is the most well-known lucky charm associated with St. Patrick’s Day. The leaves of the clover stand for faith, hope, luck and love.
Nevertheless, finding a four-leaf clover is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
St Patricks Day – Fun Facts
- In Irish culture, St Patrick’s Day is a national holiday celebrated on March 17th every year on which banks, stores, and businesses close in Ireland.
- The most popular drink on St. Patricks Day is Guinness.
- The first St. Patrick’s parade took place in Boston, the United States.
- St. Patricks Day was initially associated with the colour blue. However, over time, the colour green became more relevant because of Ireland’s nickname, The Emerald Isle, and of course, the green in the shamrock (cloverleaf) and the green in the flag.
- In the earlier days, St. Patricks Day was a dry day as it falls during the lenten season (a period of fasting in the Catholic faith).
- County Cork in Ireland hosts the world’s shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade. It only lasts 25 yards from one pub to the other, the village’s two pubs.
There are plenty of places to celebrate St Patricks Day in Abu Dhabi, let us know what you get up to in the comments!
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