Chicago's St. Patrick's Day celebrations continue with Irish holiday traditions

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago's St. Patrick's Day celebrations may have started over the weekend, but many still turned out to celebrate the actual holiday Thursday.

"Come get a Ruben, a three dollar green Coors light, we've got Guinness all day," said Jane Love, a bartender at O'Donovan's.

There's plenty of corned beef and cabbage to go around at O'Donovan's on the North Side.

"I got the corned beef sandwich, fries, whiskey," she added.

The lunch of champions, some might say.

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"It's really nice to actually be able to celebrate with my mom again and be able to see people smile," said Lisa Applebaum, who was out celebrating the Irish holiday.

"We missed it! With COVID, it was terrible and now I'm so glad to be with my daughter who takes me out every St. Patrick's Day," added Applebaum's mother, Rachel Greenbaum.

It's the excitement of getting to celebrate again this year that many are feeling.

Despite being cold, this year's Saturday celebration was full of life after many stayed away last year due to COVID.

"We did one this year and it was a full turnout. The past two years, nothing. So this looks great," Love said.

Over at St. Viator, the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance made the rounds to dozens of schools and businesses, showing off their skills and honoring their heritage.

"They work all year for this week. Basically, St. Patrick's Day isn't a day, it's an entire week," said Heather Rice.

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Rice's two daughters were ecstatic to be dancing once again.

"This time last year, every single show they had got canceled," Rice said. "But now we're back in the schools, we're back going to all the different bars and restaurants, and there's a lot of businesses that actually get them."

In Aurora, Mayor Richard Irvin hosted an Irish flag-raising ceremony.

"I do hereby recognize March 2022 Irish American Heritage Month in the city of Aurora," said Mayor Irvin. "And I call this observance to all our residents, Happy St. Patrick's Day."

The McNulty Irish dancers also made an appearance.

"This is what it's all about. This is the fun part of Irish dance," Rice said.