COEUR d'ALENE - Hearing the Coeur d'Alene Firefighters Pipes and Drums around the bonfire at O'Shay's Irish Pub and Eatery can be an overwhelming sensory and emotional experience.

"It sends you back to the days when those guys were doing it for real," said O'Shay's owner Steve Saunders. "It sends chills down people's spines."

The band also will be at Paddy's Sports Bar, where they will be offering $3 Guinness, Harp Lager, and Black and Tan beer, said Jenna Shaw, a waitress and bartender at Paddy's.

"It was standing room only last year," Shaw said.

Ronikae Achord, chef and manager at Kelly's Irish Pub, said everybody's already licking their Irish chops over the 360 pounds of slow cooked corned beef the pub will be serving starting today.

"We'll be serving heaping portions," Achord promised.

Yes, it's St. Patrick's Day, and expect at least three more days of partying.

If you go green:

O'Shay's Irish Pub and Eatery

Saunders said O'Shay's will be open at 10 a.m. today. People might be in the beer garden until the sun comes up on Friday, he said.

He expects to have about 300 people partying in the beer garden, with the bonfire, live music on stage, and a dance floor.

"It will not be cold in the beer garden," he said.

He sold 200 pounds of corned beef last year. He's going to cook 250 pounds this year. The meat will cook for eight hours to get the proper flavor and consistency, he said.

The corned beef and cabbage will be $7.

There will be plenty of green beer, and black and tans, he said.

Anyone bringing in a receipt from All Things Irish, in Coeur d'Alene, will get a free Guinness pint glass, he said.

The live entertainment, along with the pipes and drums group, will include the Bunkhouse Brawlers.

Last year, about 1,200 people came through O'Shay's, Saunders said. He's expecting nothing less this year.

He said they'll be giving away O'Shay's sweatshirts in raffles. Guinness pint glasses will be given out to those who purchase O'Shay's T-shirts or sweatshirts, while supplies last.

Kelly's Irish Pub

Achord, at Kelly's, said they'll be open at 10 a.m., and will have live music from noon until midnight.

"We're one big family," she said. "It'll be one good party."

Kelly's, owned by Chris Coscia, will be having two Irish fiddlers during the day and an Irish folk band at night.

Achord said the pub has recently added four new Irish beers on tap. Along with the beer (and there will be green beer), the pub will serve wine.

They'll be serving corned beef and cabbage dinners, reuben sandwiches, shepherd's pie (mashed potatoes, veggies, and ground beef), Guinness stew with bread, and Irish meatloaf (it's sweet and spicy).

They'll also have Irish potato soup, Irish soda bread, bread pudding and other special items.

Prizes will be given out to the best green outfit, and the person wearing the most Guinness gear. There also will be a balloon prize drop.

Achord said the partying will be going through Saturday.

"We're small, so we're spreading it out over the weekend," she said.

They expect to be full all day today and beyond, with a maximum occupancy of about 80 to 90 people inside.

"It's our biggest three days of the year," she said.

Paddy's Sports Bar

Jenna Shaw said the green beer and other drinks will begin flowing at 11 a.m. today.

Along with the beer specials, Paddy's will be offering different menu items, including corned beef and cabbage.

Also on the menu will be reuben sandwiches, and a hearty Mulligan stew, with beef, potatoes and vegetables, Shaw said.