by CHRIS BARRY

It’s that time again, folks. Yes, this Sunday brings us the 182nd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and all the time-honoured drunken merriment which comes part and parcel with said event. Needless to say, every bar in the downtown core will be putting their best Irish face on this weekend, and God forbid you should miss even a second of all the top notch revelry to be had.

So before heading out to the parade, which leaves at noon from the corner of Fort and Ste-Catherine W., you’ll probably want to get started with a good old-fashioned Irish breakfast, because, well, it’s never too early in the morning to start drinking, is it? Hurley’s (1225 Crescent) will be offering their “legendary” full Irish breakfast buffet with complimentary Irish Coffee from 8 a.m. ($15) that you’ll be able to guzzle down while groovin’ to the sweet Celtic sounds of Squid Jigger (upstairs) or Charlie and Jonathan at the downstairs bar. Later that afternoon, Tim Walsh and Solstice will be occupying the Hurley’s stages with Joshua and Salty Dog taking over the reins come evening. Like most downtown pubs, they’ll be serving up Irish stew and other uniquely Irish culinary treats throughout the day.

Down the street at Brutopia (1219 Crescent), they too will be doing the Irish culinary thang but to the big Celtic beat of the Slaters, who’ll be heading on stage around 2 p.m. Stick around until 9 p.m. and perhaps you’ll find yourself drunk enough to embarrass yourself at the open mic festivities they’ve got scheduled later in the evening. Surely you can sing “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” as well as the next drunk, can’t you?

Over at McKibbins (1426 Bishop) they’ll be featuring live music from Bitter End, Salty Dog and Goodtime Charlie in the daytime with FM offering the very best in Celtic entertainment from 9 p.m. till closing. Lodvi the bartender promises “it’s gonna be pure madness.”

But if that’s not insane enough for you, remember the Madhatter Pub (1220 Crescent) will be seeing eight bagpipers marching into their establishment over the course of the day, because, well, there ain’t nothing like the sound of blaring bagpipes to encourage one to get shitfaced.

The Old Dublin (1219-A University) has Liam Callaghan and his band at the downstairs pub from 2 p.m. until closing with Pat Grider laying his Celtic soul bare on the upstairs stage till the end of the night as well. The Cock ’n’ Bull (1944 Ste-Catherine W.) rarely disappoints on St. Paddy’s Day and this year, with Charlie MacLeod, Marie Belanger and Gary Davis banging out tunes from 8:30 a.m. and the inimitable Jehan taking over from them in the evening, promises to be no exception.

Over at McLean’s (1210 Peel) the Mad Half will be playing traditional Irish music all day long, and finally, if you’re out in NDG and figure the parade is an event you can live without and just want to get drunk and barf in public, Ye Olde Orchard (5563 Monkland) will be serving traditional Irish fare throughout the day, with local Celtic legends Swerve providing the morning’s entertainment, and Sean Bagher hitting their stage at 9 p.m.