Whiskey In The Jar | Joe & Joe Restaurant | Hudson West | Noonan’s | YouTube Rabbithole
Hello @YouTheReader,
Today’s Irish tune is Whiskey In The Jar by The Dubliners. The origins of this song possibly go back centuries with folk music historians such as Alan Lomax claiming it traces back to the 17th Century. (Source: Folk Songs in the English Language) The Dubliners modernized their Whiskey In The Jar version, releasing it in 1968. The song has been covered by the likes of Thin Lizzy, The Pogues, U2, and even Metallica. However, my favorite rendition is Goody’s Version seen in the YouTube Rabbithole at the end of this Note.
County Kerry and the west of Ireland are famous for their beautiful green scenery. Some versions of this song include County Cork, which borders Kerry, and sets the scene at the Shehy Mountains. The “I” in this song is an Irish highwayman bandit (or an even better name for him is a “knacker”). Farrell is an Irish last name, but he may have been an officer for the British army which was common in those days. The knacker pulled out a pistol and a rapier (a thin sword). The phrase “stand and deliver” was often said by highwaymen when they were stealing from travelers. Shakespeare even used the phrase somewhat (Stand sir and throw us that you have about’ye) in his Two Gentlemen of Verona, which came out in 1591 describing a highwayman. (Source: Phrases)
I’ve searched every crevice of the internet and I can’t find an English translation for Mush-a ring dumb-a do dumb-a da. Many say the phrase may have been Gaelic, others claim it’s just a bit of banter, either way, it’s fun to sing. The “whack” in this situation probably means to take a shot of whiskey. The idea behind there being whiskey in the jar, may mean life goes on C’est La Vie if you will, but we have more of this knacker’s story to unpack…
The knacker was successful in stealing from Captain Farrell. Jenny, the wife I’m assuming, didn’t love the idea of him robbing, but promised to look the other way. The devil taking the women for they never can be easy is comedy gold. @Ladies I’m sorry I know it’s your month, but c’mon funny is funny! Plus, read me out, there is more to this tune.
What can you do? There is still whiskey in the jar. C’est La Vie.
The knacker went to bed in his drunken stupor and dreamed of riches. Jenny said enough of this wanker, I’m going to the authorities and collecting a bounty. Filling up the water here could be she removed the powder from his gun and filled it with H2O before running off to find Captain Farrell.
What’s the knacker going to do? He’s still got some whiskey in the jar. Might as well take a shot. C’est La Vie.
The knacker wakes up to do some more robbing on the road, but before he could get his day going the authorities and Captain Farrell were at his humble abode. He’s got a gun that is filled with water and Jenny stole his sword. He was taken into custody.
Surely he’s got nothing to do but take a shot of whiskey. C’est La Vie.
Here the knacker is describing that some men are interested in cars (carriages a rollin’). Other men find their fun in hurling or bowling, but his happy place is in his drink (juice of the barley). No wonder Jenny had enough of him, he’s out drinking and chasing other women (courting pretty fair maids).
Well, he still has his whiskey in the jar! C’est La Vie.
His only hope is that his brother in the army can get him out of jail. His odds don’t sound great considering he doesn’t even know if he’s stationed in County Cork or County Killarney. Also, he just robbed his brother’s fellow officer. If his brother does help him escape, the two of them will be rovin’, or going on an adventure in County Kilkenny because they’ll be on the run and have to skip town. The story's narrator is clearly unreliable, so Jenny’s better off.
He’s got much to do about nothing, but at least he’s got his whiskey in the jar! C’est La Vie. Great tune, I’ve heard this song hundreds of times but fun to put together the story behind it.
On to the pints in Pearl River…
#GuinnessChallengeSeason
@Kids don’t try this at home. Not just because you’re underage and will have plenty of pints to drink if that ends up being your thing when you’re older but also because Guinness is actually best served in a pint glass from a tap. A pint of Guinness varies depending on the drinking establishment. If the keg it sits in is rarely poured, it can lead to some underwhelming taste. Rather than stealing gimmicks, I’d like to start taking Notes while drinking Guinness. My grandfather from Connemara, whom I never got the chance to meet, Thomas Davis, used to drink pints and by all accounts was a self-taught thinker. The one rule I’ve imposed on myself is that I will only have 1 pint per sitting from each establishment I review, so @AnyoneWorrying, don’t worry about my drinking habits. The Guinness Challenge is to “cut the G” on your first sip (more like a gulp and a half). If this is your first time hearing about it, I didn’t come up with the fun challenge @YouTheReader can try the next time you have a Guinness. The 0.0 to 10.0 scale will be extraordinarily nuanced but as a reference point, the only perfect 10.0 I plan ever to give out is at the Guinness Factory in Dublin one day.
Song On In The Background: I Won’t Back Down by Tom Petty
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: On the wall behind me, Joe & Joe’s Restaurant has a shrine of 1970s Yankees as well as cool historical photos of the Bronx. They are known in town as “a slice of Italy” in Pearl River. My grandparents enjoy coming here for lunch with old friends of theirs who also grew up in the Bronx. The original Joe & Joe’s was in the Bronx. They have a picture of Lou Pinella with the owners along with Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson, and Thurman Munson hanging up. The bartender mentioned that the name comes from one of the owners and his grandfather’s brother-in-law. The original location in BX was once the Bailer Hotel on Eastern Boulevard. Ireland just lost to England in the Six Nations so I needed to grab a pint of Guinness before babysitting.
Joe & Joe Restaurant is a Pearl River staple. They have an excellent Italian menu and a very nice wrap-around bar for drinks. This Easter Sunday you can brunch with them and the Easter Bunny, just make sure to get a reservation sooner rather than later. Below are some of the family take-out dinners that are perfect for a family of 4 for $40, a good deal considering the quality of the food. In their bar area, they have plenty of room for live music and have a lineup of acts for the rest of March. Ages ago, I went here with my family after spending a night in jail and graduating from PRHS. Kidding, that never happened, Go Pirates! I look forward to grabbing another pint of Guinness at Joe & Joe’s again soon!
Song On In The Background: You Should Probably Leave by Chris Stapleton
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: New Pearl River bar alert! Formerly Mickey’s Tavern, they opened up at the beginning of the New Year. Lucy is the bartender. She is from Nanuet, Class of ‘18. Her favorite Nanuet slice is Martio’s. On Hudson West’s menu, she recommends the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. They serve plenty of beer options but at the moment, the Aperol Spritz is her favorite cocktail to make. Saint Patrick’s Day on Sunday is expected to be insane. They will be opening up at 9 AM sharp. On Fridays, they have live music bands. Every Saturday they have a DJ and they are one of the only bars in town that have a Happy Hour on Saturday from 2 to 6 PM. Lucy is a huge NY Rangers fan because of her father. They have a bet going that she’ll never see them win a Stanley Cup. Their last title was in 1994. Her favorite players on the team now are their captain Jacob Trouba and their kid enforcer, Matt Rempe.
I remember when this location was once called Moe’s way back in the early 2000s. They had awesome milkshakes and a cool 1960s diner theme. While the Hudson West may be the new kid on the block, they have plenty of plans in the works after the madness of the Pearl River Saint Patrick’s Day Parade! They will become one of your favorite new sports bars. From Thursday to Saturday, they have great weekend specials such as $3 Michelob drafts, $3 green tea shots, $5 domestic bottles, $6 Surf Sides or High Noons, and $7 house mixed drinks. Their strawberry margarita and Aperol Spritz both looked great as well. The Rangers’ captain, Jacob Trouba, gave the Instagram Story a view after tagging him a picture of Hudson West’s pint of Guinness. Hey, that’s pretty cool! I look forward to catching a game and grabbing a pint of Guinness at Hudson West again soon!
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Finally giving Noonans a proper pint of Guinness review after drinking a gazillion pints here the last decade. Catherine is the bartender. She is originally from County Armagh and loves Pearl River. She’s been bartending day shifts at Noonan’s since ‘03 and considers the staff plus patrons family. They’ll be ready for Sunday’s parade when it gets here. Noonans has an elite patio in the back with a brick oven for pizza. The booth by the entrance as soon as you walk into the joint is the spot you want to claim as your home base when you’re a Pearl River local on a Saturday Night. Everybody already knows this. Jeez, that’s a fine pint of Guinness. No surprise!
TF Noonan’s was established in ‘01. Over the years it’s been cool to see them expand from just their main bar. Their outdoor patio has evolved and is now an awesome setup for a summer night out. They’ve also used the space in the back for Saint Patrick’s Day, it tends to get very busy so you might want to get there early. In the last handful of years, they have also opened up a dining area with another bar as well. I forgot to mention they also have a 3rd bar as well, perfect for private parties. After checking out their website, I found the name behind the bar very interesting. It comes from Terry F’n Noonan from the cult classic film State of Grace. Aside from their quality pints of Guinness, they also have 15 other tap beers, 18+ bottled beers, and plenty of spirits. Noonans’ kitchen stays open until 3 AM every night. They have a great pub grub menu, but I usually go with their pizza or samplers if I’m three sheets to the wind. There is nothing like going for one with some old friends at Noonan’s, seeing more old friends stumble in, and staying for a few more. Unfortunately, I could only stay for one pint this round as I had to head home to babysit the nephew. I look forward to grabbing another pint of Guinness there again soon!