SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Irish eyes were smiling at the John Boyle O’Reilly Club as work is set to begin building the new outdoor pavilion Saturday. City officials joined members of the club at a ground breaking ceremony for a new outdoor pavilion Monday.
The club, which serves as a hub of Irish culture in Springfield, is one of the oldest Irish Clubs in America, established in 1880. The club received $250,000 in federal ARPA funding from the city of Springfield to create this dedicated outdoor space.
“We are going to build a pavilion, a 60 by 40 pavilion. We’re going to have a bar inside, we are going to have grills so we can serve food because this is an outdoor dining grant, we’ll have tables and chairs for people to sit in, we’ll hopefully have music as well,” said Patty Devine, President of John Boyle O’Reilly Club.
The outline for the pavilion is already marked off in the parking lot. The hope is that events can be dedicated in the pavilion or even overflow to the outdoor space. Devine said she hopes the work on the pavilion will be complete by St. Patrick’s Day.
Alanna Flood is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Alanna on X @alannafloodnews and view her bio to see more of her work.
