When you meet Ralph Kennedy at Cheese Secrets on Market Street you’ll notice two things. One, he knows a lot about cheese and two, he’s Irish. The first is an occupational hazard — he works at one of the best cheese shops in the region, and his knowledge and salesmanship are impressive. Customers are drawn to his kind smile and tasty samples.
The second is written on his sleeve, literally.
On the day I was there Kennedy was wearing a T-shirt that said “Prone to Shenanigans and Malarkey,” but on closer inspection it wasn’t just his T-shirt that revealed his allegiance to the shamrock. Kennedy has an armful of amazing tattoos that are an ode to his Irish heritage.
The words Slainte (a Gaelic word meaning health and commonly used as a toast or cheers), a pint of Guinness, several shamrocks and the thing that just might make him NOTL’s unofficial ambassador to St. Patrick's day — an Irish harp. Right there on his arm. He and his wife have matching harp tattoos with the longitude and latitude location of our beloved Irish Harp in NOTL where the two had their honeymoon. They got the tattoos to commemorate the occasion and the cozy local hot spot they love to frequent.
It doesn’t stop there for Kennedy. After a brief chat he shows me photos of the replica Irish pub bar built in his basement. Again no ordinary bar — it is intricate, beautiful and could easily transport you to a small village in Ireland, or the very least the Irish Harp. I ask him about how it came to be.
“The pub is really a connection to my dad and my family lineage. When we were kids, my dad had a little Irish pub that he built himself in the basement of our house. However, as kids, it seemed boring. It was a bunch of adults, singing, dancing, and having a few pints,” explained Kennedy.
“As I got to be an adult, I realized how important that was, so my wife and I decided to keep the family tradition alive, and I built our Irish pub in our basement: Kennedy's Irish Pub.”
“Now it's our turn to have friends and family over to hang out,” Kennedy continued. “We’ve even had one of our favourite local bands, Grass Mud Horse, come over and jam.”
While it may feel like St. Patrick’s Day every day with the Kennedys, he also speaks about the importance of the actual day.
“There's a connection to my family. My dad's name is Patrick Kennedy, and he's from Westmeath in Ireland, so there's our family history. Also, it's a day where everyone is having a great time, no matter what your background is.”
If anyone has the perfect plan for St. Patrick’s Day it would have to be Ralph. And you can’t miss him, besides the tattoos and affable demeanor - on the actual day he promises to bring out his kilt.
“We usually get a good breakfast in and and honestly, no matter what we do in the day, we always end up at The Irish Harp. The music, the food, and the staff are the absolute best. It's our second home. The lineup may be long to get in, but it's worth the wait. You will not be disappointed!”
Slainte to you all today and every day.