Hawaii

By Dave Donnelly

Monday, March 16, 1998

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Madness and
a wee bit o’ mischief

AS CBS warned at the start of its live coverage of "March Mad-ness," the NCAA basketball tourney yesterday, "Beware the Ides of March." True, yesterday was the Ides but the Duke of Krzyzewski survived to live and coach another day. As for me, I steered clear of both Orange Julius and Caesar Sa-lad ... And in the interest of scholarship, be advised that the Ides fall on the 15th only in March, May, July and October, and on the 13th in other months. You're welcome ... Vince Goo and the UH Wahines never even got to enjoy the Ides of March, losing the day before to Arkansas. But now that the Ides are past, we have only March 17 to look forward to. That's right, people -- St. Patrick's Day is upon us once again ...

GETTING a jump on the holiday Saturday was Don Murphy of Murphy's Bar & Grill, who turned out more than 200 Irish breakfasts (at $20 a head) as a benefit for the St. Francis Hospice. Two members of the Irish Hearts were strolling among the revelers playing tunes from the Olde Sod. Fiddler Lisa Leung and vocalist/guitarist Jo McGarry had people clapping hands and having a great time. I found myself doing an Irish jig while balancing a cup of coffee and not spilling a drop. Several people got photos of that -- I'll buy the negatives! ...

Have one for me

WHILE the pleasures of the grape and grain are long behind me, St. Paddy's Day is still a fine one for celebrating. St. Patrick is best known in America as the man who drove the snakes out of Ireland, and it's ironic that the annual celebration in his honor often create personal snakes for the celebrants. The most traditional celebrations, complete with Celtic music, will be at the Irish Intersection where Murphy's faces off with O'Toole's, and the Columbia Inn is continuing a tradition of its own, presenting "Kimo Knuckles McSaddam" -- latest incarnation of "fantabulous entremanure" Kimo Wilder McVay. He'll play at the one-day-a-year C.I. piano bar from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with various guests dropping by, followed by more traditional sing-along pianist Don Conover from 3 p.m. until whenever ...

IT'S not all Irish music on Merchant Street tomorrow. After an Irish start, Merchant will be cordoned off for a Block Party with various food and music by Bon Ton Roule and the Piranha Brothers rockin' and rollin' under the stars ...

WE'D be remiss if we didn't mention that the Sweeney families of Hawaii are again hosting a party tonight at Murphy's, their 21st annual bash, just to get a jump on things with Sweeneys from all over the country flying in. The annual Paddy's Day Parade will swerve down Kalakaua beginning at noon tomorrow, and for those who don't want to walk with the hearty Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Publican Murphy will be loading up a Waikiki Trolley to join in the parade ...

Lovely Houlihans

AND finally, Channel 2's Kirk Matthews, as honorary Lord Mayor on behalf of the Waikiki Community Association, will ride in a Rolls-Royce in the Paddy's Day parade and also will preside at the Lord Mayor's Ball at the community Center from 2 to 5 p.m. Joining Matthews will be Jimmy Borges, Shari Lynn, Paul Conrad, Varoa Tiki, Joe the Fiddler, Irish tenor Alan Gelfius and John Norris & the Lovely Houlihans Band. At the ball -- not in the Rolls ...Even Havana Cabana on Nuuanu is getting into the spirit of Paddy's. No green cigars allowed, of course, but owner Brian Uy is offering numerous drinks and pupus all priced at $3.17. How come? It's 3/17, get it? ...