Marking the end of Arthur’s Day, Belfast’s most legendary bar, The Botanic Inn, is making sure the founding father of the black stuff is given a proper big send off.
Yesterday kicked-off the bar’s celebrations, with an old-fashioned funeral procession which turned heads as it travelled from Queen’s University up to the door of the premises. Drama students from Queen’s dressed in Victorian attire accompanied by a full jazz band, took to the streets to honour Arthur Guinness in style one last time.
The procession marked the start of a three-day Irish wake within the Bot, were pub goers are encouraged to come along and raise a pint of the black stuff in honour of Arthur. A book of condolences will be on show and a plague acknowledging this world-renowned event will be unveiled after a day of festivities on Thursday 25th September.
Terry Kavanagh, Assistant Manager at the Bot says: “We were the first bar in Northern Ireland to celebrate Arthur’s Day, so it is only right that we celebrate it one more time. For us, Arthur’s Day was always about coming together with friends over a pint of Guinness and putting the world to right. It was a fantastic chance to applaud the legacy of a truly remarkable beer”.
“We’ve had some brilliant events over the years with some brilliant acts. The highlight was probably Tiny Tempeh, but there have been a number including a lot of local bands; the Wonder Villains come to mind. So we couldn’t just let it slip away without marking the end in some way.”
Talking about the plans for the final salute, Terry says, “This Thursday will see the climax of our activity with a BBQ and live music from 3pm, with the final toast to Arthur at 17.59. We are encouraging everyone to come and join in the party atmosphere, taking pictures of themselves enjoying the live music with a pint of Guinness and posting them online with the official hashtag #riparthursday. ”
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