Interim Charleston Police Chief Mark Jenkins has no plans to assign the Charleston bar areas tonight, despite St. Patrick’s Day celebrations that will take place.

Because this year’s St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Monday, Jenkins said he doubts many students will take to drinking tonight.

If the holiday had fallen on a weekend day, it might warrant an increased police presence around the city, he said. If this were the case, Jenkins said the city would offer a few extra police officers overtime pay to patrol the town.

In his 30 years as part of the Charleston Police Department, Jenkins said drinking on St. Patrick’s Day has rarely posed a problem.

“We’ve had some nights that are busier than others,” he said. “But there haven’t been any where we’ve been overwhelmed.”

University Police Chief Adam Due said the University Police Department had no “big” concerns about the evening – but it would have a few extra officers on duty, just in case.

Because most drinking activity takes place off-campus, he said he doubts there will be much activity on campus.

However, Due said UPD officers could be used to help patrol the city if the city had the need for assistance.

If extra patrols are needed, the distribution of officers would be determined by the kinds of special offers and attractions offered by local bars, Jenkins said.

One bar that will offer specials is the Top of the Roc.

Bartender Lauren Berggren said the bar will provide customers with samples of Guinness Stout, Smithwicks Ale and Harp Lager, as well as offer customers 50 cents off all Irish beers during the evening. Corned beef and cabbage, a traditional Irish dish, will also be served tonight.

The band Mother Lode will perform Irish tunes at the bar tonight, she said.

Tonight is expected to be the same as past St. Patrick’s Days, Berggren said.

“It’s usually a very busy night,” she said.

While Top of the Roc is expecting a larger-than-usual turnout for St. Patrick’s Day, other Charleston bars are skeptical.

One such bar is the Panther Paw Bar and Grill, which reopened last Thursday after being closed for three days earlier in the week for repairs and renovations.

Chris Clayton, owner of the Paw, said this is first year since he bought the bar three years ago that St. Patrick’s Day has fallen on the Monday after spring break.

“It’s an oddity because students are usually still on Spring Break,” he said.

Clayton said he could not remember a time while he was at Eastern when St. Patrick’s Day took place after break. He said he thought this was a purposeful maneuver on the part of the school to avoid having students celebrating the holiday while at school.

This is why many students, more so at the University of Illinois than in Charleston, celebrated Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day, so students would be less tempted to drink more during the school week, he said. He doubts students will be turning out in droves to party tonight.

“I can’t imagine it’s going to be as busy as it is on a weekend,” Clayton said.

Jordan Crook can be reached at 581-7942 or jscrook@eiu.edu.

Marty’s, along with other bars in the vicinity of Lincoln Avenue, is known for its St. Patrick’s Day specials and celebrations. The police do not expect any major problems for the holiday. (Bryce Peake/Daily Eastern News)

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