St. Patrick’s Day – A Chapter Closed

Joyous conversations over delicious food with the best friends in the world

Photo by Magdalena Smolnicka on Unsplash

I don’t wear green for St. Patrick’s Day – it clashes with my olive skin. I don’t drink green milkshakes or eat green bagels – or whatever else is green for the day. But I do have a personal tradition for the holiday which has now, sadly, come to a close.

This is the story of four dear friends. We all used to work together, and I was the first to leave. One by one, the others left, as well. Somewhere along the way, we decided that Middletown, CT would be a good meeting point since we were coming from multiple directions. And what is the best place to meet in Middletown? O’Rourke’s Diner. And the best time of year to go to an Irish-owned diner? St. Patrick’s Day!

It's appropriate that this is being posted after the holiday since we rarely, if ever, celebrated on the day. It was simply the catalyst that brought us together each spring.

O'Rourke's Diner

I heard about O’Rourke’s from a local farmer I had become friends with. I went to Middletown for years and drove by the exact corner on which she said it was located but only saw an empty lot there. So much for my powers of observation. When I looked again, there it was – an ancient-looking old-style diner with a metal and glass façade.

Over time I got to know the owner, Brian O’Rourke – an incredibly talented, totally intuitive cook. Brian’s weekend brunch menu was legendary! The daily couple-page breakfast menu was supplemented with another few pages of dishes that caught his fancy that weekend. Sauces ranged from simple to complex, and were the perfect accompaniment to the main dish. Everything was made from scratch.

Brunch started with the breads he baked each morning – Irish soda bread available in white or wheat, and an array of sweet breads. Coming alone, I liked to sit at the counter so I could watch Brian cook and talk with him. With our group of four, we started our catch-up while standing in the line that wrapped around the front of the diner until a booth was available.

I lost track of the number of St. Patrick’s Day brunches our small group celebrated at O’Rourke’s. All were incredibly delicious. The last meal I had there was one I asked Brian to create for me – whatever he wanted. I wish I could remember what he came up with, but I know it was amazing.

The story of O’Rourke’s Diner can be found on their Wikipedia page here. Brian and his diner were so loved that his community came to his aid when a fire closed it down. He was not insured, and they enabled him to rebuild it. When it opened, it was better than ever.

A Chapter Closes

To be clear, two chapters closed. Making the drive to Middletown started to be a challenge for our small group – and then COVID came and wreaked havoc for so many restaurants. In 2023, Brian decided to close O’Rourke’s. A few months later, one of our foursome was diagnosed with cancer. We lost her last summer.

On this St. Patrick’s Day, I opened that virtual book and revisited its many pages. There’s an article here that includes descriptions and photos of some of Brian’s creations. Tastes came flooding back and I could not help but smile. I’ve never come across anyone as creative and talented as him! And sharing that with such close friends created an experience that I will always cherish.

A Reflection

O’Rourke’s holds a special place in my heart for so many reasons. There is of course Brian – the wonderful man, the chats we had, his incredible creations. I popped in regularly when I lived nearby. After I moved he would always come out and give me a warm hug as soon as he saw me, and present a gift of delicious bites to try.

Then there is the sharing of the experience with friends I hold so dear – conversations building over each bite as we revel in layers of deliciousness. Wonderful conversation over incredible food is one of my absolute favorite things in life!

This week has brought the first St. Patrick’s Day since the passing of one of our four. In my celebration, we are a foursome again – laughing and loving each other. Brian is creating more pieces of perfection for us, knowing that we will love every bite.

Laughter fills the air. And joy - a whole lot of joy. Now that’s a celebration – one I return to often. No green required.

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Embedded links in the post can also be found here and here.