Late last Sunday night a final round was poured, the remaining patrons drank and went home, the staff closed up, and the doors of the Irish Circle tavern were shuttered for the last time.
By Monday morning, May 12, the landmark Rockaway pub and restaurant and gathering place was no more. Over the weekend, though, many came to spend a few last hours at the Circle. “I had my first 18th birthday drink here when (then- owner Jimmy) Woods owned the place,” one woman recalled on Sunday, “Now I am having my ‘39th’ birthday, again, here.”
“It’s a shame that after all the memories, all the weddings, all the parties, that this place has to close.”
Next to her, at the bar, a friend remembered, “( Years ago) there was Brennan’s Bar right next door, where the parking lot is now, and a little religious store squeezed in between them.”
Both remembered when Woods took over the business in 1949, and when his wife Marilyn Woods ran the hotel at the back. Back then, there was a beer distributor across street and two other bars doing business on the corners opposite the Irish Circle.
Standing towards the back of the rectangular bar, ‘Bubba’ from Broad Channel noted, “I worked here for 10 years.”
“I hate to see this place go,” he said, but recalled many of the good times he had with friends in years gone by.
Servers, bartenders and cooks also had their thoughts about the closing. Staffer Will Bernando commented, “I have worked there for almost 12 years. I have no idea what I will do without having a place to call home and hang out with my friends.”
“To grow up in that place has been nothing short of amazing,” employee John Hanning said. “It’s been a hell of a ride. I love the Irish Circle and everyone that I have had the pleasure of meeting.”
“What are my plans now?” said one man who had worked there 10 years. “I guess we’ll see what happens next.”
Looking around the noisy, crowded, music filled front and back barrooms and backyard late Saturday night, one man noted, “I came down here with my friend and my nephews. I’m from California We really don’t have places like this.”
Three young men in their 20’ s happily remembered informal arm wrestling contests at the bar. Each claimed that they were the champ.
When asked about the closing, one man gave it some thought, and finally said above the noise, “Well, things go. Things change.” Lou Ramos, greeting customers as they came in Sunday, was nostalgic but matter of fact. “I’ve stood on this stoop for 19 years. I was the first guy at this door. I am going to be the last. I’ll be here to see it close.”
Still others were ready to mark the last days of the Irish Circle just as they had enjoyed many other weekends there before.
Whether dancing, eating, drinking, meeting friends, laughing, throwing baseballs at the dunk tank set up in back or sitting in the open streetside windows, many came to celebrate and have a good time, one more time.
“Any thoughts,” two young women were asked, “about being here for the closing weekend?”
“We take the 5th,” they said, laughing. “You can write that down.”
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