BRUNSWICK
Byrnes’ Irish Pub is back in business and ready for St. Patrick’s Day a month after a sprinkler failure between the first and second floors at Brunswick Station closed the establishment.
Shortly after the flooding, owner Joe Byrnes showed a repair crew the digital clock on the wall counting down to St. Patrick’s Day and told them that’s their deadline.
The pub opened their doors again Friday night to a decent crowd. By Saturday, word had gotten around making for a very busy day and night.
Brand-new to Byrnes’ since the water damage are a copper bartop, a draft box and draft system, new ceilings, floors, light fixtures, wiring and most of the walls.
“Overall, the pub is almost like brand-new,” he said.
The pub used to have 25 beers on draft, which creates a highway of lines from the walk-in to the tap box — all of which had to be replaced. Byrnes has since added another three taps.
“Everything’s working great and it’s the coldest beer in town, I’ll guarantee it,” Byrnes said.
Byrnes said he took the opportunity to make improvements to the kitchen as well.
On Thursday, St. Patrick’s Day, Byrnes will open at 6 a.m. for kegs and eggs. Also on the menu: corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash, beef and lamb stew all served with homemade Guinness bread — their own recipe. There will be live music all day with the Maine Public Safety Pipe and Drum Corps at 6 a.m., appearances by the Brunswick Fire Department — this time not bearing squeegees.
“I’ve got to give great thanks to the Brunswick Fire Department for their quick response when this casualty happened because if they hadn’t been here so quick and got the water shut off, we would have sustained thousands and thousands of more damage and probably would never have made it for St. Patrick’s Day,” Byrnes said.
Byrnes said they love the local police and fire personnel, and has a great relationship between his pubs in Brunswick and Bath and first responders.
“They take care of us and we try to take good care of them,” he said.
dmcintire@timesrecord.com
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