History of The Blarney Irish Pub in Toledo
Blarney Irish Pub owner Ed Beczynski visited over 35 pubs in Ireland in March, 2006 and was inspired to open an Irish pub in downtown Toledo, Ohio. Finding the right downtown building, with the right old feel was the key.
Toledo Free Press owner and publisher Tom Pounds and Ed bought and split the building at 601 Monroe Street. The offices of Toledo Free Press occupy the second floor and The Blarney spans the first level - a perfect fit.
The Blarney Irish Pub opened on November 6, 2006. All of the furniture and many items on the walls were bought in Ireland and shipped to Toledo to give guests the feel of a pub near The Blarney Castle in County Cork, Ireland.
Ed learned the importance of pouring a perfect pint of Guinness while in Ireland and in the first five months sold over 150 kegs of the roasted barley drink.
Live music at The Blarney
Ed realized while he was in Ireland that what made a pub great was the music. The Blarney Irish Pub has live music on Thursday through Saturday. Celtic Irish bands from Canada, Detroit, Ann Arbor and Toledo perform on the first Saturday of each month at The Blarney.