Gan Matthews, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- They celebrate St. Patrick's Day every year at O'Connell's Irish Pub in Norman, but this year will be a little different.

All the Thursday festivities will take place at the O'Connell's location on Campus Corner. The original pub, which opened in 1968, closed its Lindsey Street location in January. But owner Jeff Stewart says all the familiar elements from St. Patrick Days in the past will be present.

"Probably the best thing that [customers] will find that's old and familiar is a good, cold glass of green fun," Stewart said, as he filled a mug with green beer.

O'Connell's will open at 7 a.m. Thursday, and the first patrons will be able to wash down their beer with green eggs and ham. A tent in back will handle the overflow crowd. Extra bicycle policemen will be nearby to make sure the reveling doesn't get out of hand.

Edel Godwin is a native of Ireland. She said in Ireland St. Patrick's Day is as much about the religious significance as it is about the celebration of being Irish.

"It's a Holy Day of Obligation," she said. "People go to Mass, and then they often go from Mass to the pub to wet the Shamrock."

This year St. Patrick's Day coincides with the NCAA basketball tournament, and an unknown number of people may decide to call in sick to work-- the better to celebrate basketball and beer. One study calculates that from NCAA selection Sunday through the first round of games, the nation suffers a $1.8 billion loss in productivity.