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THE DANIEL O'CONNELL'S STORY

from VIP Alexandria Magazine | March 2023

from VIP Alexandria Magazine | March 2023, page 30

IF I GET KIDNAPPED ON THIS TRI...

Story by Liesel Schmidt | Photograph by Jonathan Thorpe

"OLD TOWN IS STEEPED IN HISTORY... IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PART OF AMERICA, AND WE FELT IT WAS THE PERFECT PLACE TO CREATE A RESTAURANT THAT BROUGHT A TASTE OF IRELAND."

Much like its namesake, O’Connell’s is neither ordinary nor forgettable. “O’Connell’s was created to be an ancient Irish setting run as a modern Irish bar,” says Brennan, who bought out O’Sullivan’s shares in 2018 and now runs the restaurant with his wife, Margaret, and their family. “As you walk in the door, you can see aspects of Dublin, Waterford, Kilkenny and Galway, putting Ireland right in the heart of King Street.”

With its fireplace and four bars, the interior of O’Connell’s offers a cozy, pub-like ambiance perfectly complimented by its antique features—as well as its four snugs. “The history of the snug began in Ireland in the late 19th Century,” explains General Manager, Níamh O’Donovan. “Snugs were small, private rooms or areas which typically had access to the bar and a frosted glass window set above head height. A higher price was normally paid for beer in a snug, and nobody could look in and see who was occupying the snug. Snugs were advantageous because women could drink hidden from the public eye, and they were also often used for private meetings in addition to being a favorite of clergymen. Take your pick of the snugs at O’Connell’s and let us know if you feel the presence of Tommy Shelby or Grace Burgess.”

Atmosphere is extremely important at O’Connell’s, as are the service, the entertainment and, of course, the food and drinks. “We have live music four nights a week, offering the best Irish traditional sessions and local talent in the DMV, which brings something for everyone,” says O’Donovan. “Everyone who steps in through the doors is greeted like an old friend who has come back into town for the weekend. The staff at O'Connell’s is another reason people come back time and time again. We truly are family here, and it shows. Every staff member is an essential worker and has an essential job making sure our guests have the best experience on every visit.”

Adds Brennan, “O’Connell’s is a real, authentic Irish bar—a home away from home. Our doors are open, and we welcome all to come in and enjoy some real Irish hospitality. Our wonderful staff [is] there to make sure your every need is taken care of and the concept behind O’Connell’s was that we would be somewhat different in styles of cuisine—not your typical Irish bar.”

Offering a menu of signature dishes that includes a wide variety of Irish staples and top sellers such as shepherd’s pie, fish 'n chips and chicken curry, O’Connell’s also explores unique twists like their Irish egg rolls and famous Whiskey sizzler, which provides the option of shrimp, chicken or tofu. Other menu favorites include the O'Connell's beef burger and the Reuben sandwich.

The local home of Six Nations Rugby, O’Connell’s broadcasts the games and is truly devoted to the grueling sport. “Rugby is important to our Irish identity and is the fastestgrowing sport in the USA,” says O’Donovan. “We are proud sponsors of Alexandria Rugby, Fort Hunt Warriors Rugby, Washington Irish RFC and Old Glory DC Rugby Youth, and we’re passionate about supporting all our youth clubs. In fact, Alexandria Rugby was formed in one of our snugs in 2006, so you could say O'Connell’s was a founding member of Alexandria Rugby. We show all games of Six Nations throughout O'Connell’s on all our TVs, and doors open 15 minutes before kickoff. If you haven't experienced Six Nations Rugby at O'Connell's yet, it should be on your ‘to do’ list. And you never know who you might bump into. We always enjoy when former Irish Captain Mick Galwey comes into town to support us and everything Irish rugby.”

Additionally, O’Connell’s is a proud supporter of the Ballyshanners. “The Ballyshanners, which means ‘Old Towner’ in Irish, is an organization that was founded by Pat Troy in 1980 with the sole purpose of organizing the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Old Town, Alexandria,” explains O’Donovan. “The organization’s mission has always been to promote and preserve Irish history and culture within our community. We at O'Connell’s have always been huge supporters of the Ballyshanners and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, as the parade brings thousands of visitors to our beautiful city, celebrating the deep and long history between Ireland and the US and celebrating all of our Irish roots. Our connection to the Ballyshanners and the parade, in fact, is such that our owner, John Brennan, was the 2020 St. Patrick’s Day Parade grand marshal.”

Holding the honor of serving as grand marshal of the Ballyshanner’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2023, Charlotte Hall’s notoriety as the unofficial “Queen of King Street” makes her the perfect choice for the role. “I am honored to be selected as this year's grand marshal,” says Hall, who has served as the CEO of Old Town Business for the past three years. “I was selected for my community involvement during the pandemic, which included managing a team to spearhead vaccine clinics for the small business community and their employees. I also worked with a team of people that consisted of business owners, AEDP, the City, Visit Alexandria, the health department, the fire department, and others to help our small business community survive and thrive. In addition, I worked to maintain and expand outdoor dining throughout Old Town and orchestrated first the temporary and then the permanent closure of the 100 block of King Street. During the pandemic, we highlighted the Sidewalk Sale and Small Business Saturday by doing a temporary closure of the street blocks, including the 100 block of South Royal and the 700 through 1100 blocks of King Street, to bring better exposure to our retailers who activated their sidewalks.”

In its 18th year of serving the community of Alexandria, O’Connell’s is still Old Town’s door to Ireland, a place where one can walk in and feel the magic of the beautiful country and its heritage.

As the March Issue of VIP was going to print, Niamh O'Donovan was selected by the Ballyshaners to be the co-emcee of the St. Patrick's Day Parade. She will be sharing this honor with Kenny Mitchell, owner of Old Town's Lighthorse, who proudly hails from Dublin.

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