Press release:
On Saturday (April 15), O'Lacy's Irish Pub will celebrate 20 years of business in Downtown Batavia.
The all-day celebration will feature specials and giveaways. Live Celtic music will kick off at 8 p.m. by the Rochester group called "Himself."
The public is invited to come celebrate at the pub and enjoy anniversary cake, which will be served at about 8:30 p.m.
The celebration and band will continue until 11 p.m.
O'Lacy's is located at 5 School St. in the City of Batavia.
This history was provided by proprietor Kent R. Ewell:
In 1996, a small, single-story woodframe building (which was the former Darien Knitting Mill), was purchased and torn down. Soon a new building arose shaped and resembling a small Irish cottage and on April 15, 1997 O’Lacy’s Irish Pub opened for business!
Owners at that time, Kent and Nancy Ewell, decided to keep O’Lacy’s as authentic as possible. The menu (which had not changed much) featured American and Irish items as well as some very popular specialty sandwiches. The bar started with 12 draft beers but soon expanded to 16, which currently exist now. The beer is all “pushed” with nitrogen and their lines are only 14-feet long, which makes for a smoother cold one! Guinness is their featured beer. In 2010 O’Lacy’s won the Guinness “Best Pour” in NY State. Quite a feat for small-town Batavia!
O’Lacy’s also created, organized and ran nine St. Patrick’s Day Parades -- the first and only St. Patrick’s Day parades in Batavia’s history. Along with the parades they have run several charity events through the years; donating to many organizations such as the Richmond Memorial Library, Crossroads House, Toys for Christmas, UMMC, Volunteer for Animals, and many others too numerous to mention.
Present owner Kent Ewell has held his own in the Market Place and has no plans for any extreme changes. He is proud of his staff, thankful for the friendly, quality patrons who enjoy stepping into a bit of “The Old Sod”!
Photo: By Howard Owens
