Thousands of East Bay residents in green flocked to Dublin this weekend for the 31^st annual St. Patrick’s Day festival.

Dublin’s Irish history dates back to 1850, when Michael Murray and Jeremiah Fallon arrived to the area, originally from County Roscommon, Ireland. While the exact reason Dublin is named what it is has been long debated, it is safe to say that the Irish connection influenced it.

“One story is that [there was] one local hotel owner, Dougherty, who wanted the area to be named after him,” said Steven S. Minniear of the Dublin Historical Preservation Association, “[He] complained to one person that the area across the street, now Dublin Boulebard, ought to be called ‘Dublin’ after all the Irish who live nearby.”

Others maintain that the city’s name was actually a mistake, and should have sounded more like “Double-lin”, referring to the practice of doubling up the amount of wagon-pulling cattle needed to get up a steep hill.

Regardless of this debate, the city’s residents and the rest of the Tri-Valley were ready to celebrate Irish culture. The largest public event was Saturday morning’s 31^st Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade through downtown Dublin where floats and cars made by the community and its various organizations caravanned through the streets.

With onlookers dressed in their favorite green attire, shamrock pins, and leprechaun top-hats, the atmosphere was as you would expect at the Bay Area’s second largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

As the parade finished up, few left for home, and most migrated over to Dublin’s Civic Center Plaza for the festival. The all-day celebration included live Celtic music, traditional Irish food and drinks, Irish dancers, and of course, plenty of Guinness.

The music stages featured the sounds of groups like Two Schillings Short, Avalon Rising, The Black Irish, and many more. Two Schillings Short is a husband and wife duo consisting of Ireland native Aodh Og O’Tuama and his American wife Christy Martin.

Playing about 150 shows a year, this is a hardworking folk band.

“We tour internationally and we don’t have a home,” said O’Tuama. “We left California January 2011, and got back October 2013. That’s a long road trip right there.”

As a Bay Area native band, playing the St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Dublin is an important opportunity for them.

“This time of the year, if we’re on the west coast,” said Martin. [Playing the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Festival] is a commitment we always keep.”

Their set lasted an hour and a half and required an instrument change in just about every song or two. They each play between 20 and 30 different instruments.

The Arts and Crafts fair showcased traditional Irish goods like Celtic jewelry and even a booth where event-goers could purchase their own kilt.

Bagpipers could be found marching throughout the plaza, providing the ear-ringing sensation that many would like to avoid. In fact during Four Schillings Short’s set, O’Tuama took a humorous jab at the famous instrument.

“You know why bagpipers are always marching while they play?” asked O’Tuama. “Because they’re trying to get away from the sound.”

Walking through the festival, one was surrounded by booths from vendors with products ranging from Irish flags, to Irish egg rolls and corned beef, to wood-carved signs.

California Redwood Signs is a sign-making company based out of Bass Lake. In their 2^nd year having a booth, co-owner Ana Stephany explains why they came back.

“It’s very successful,” said Stephany. “There are a lot of vendors, the food is really good and it’s a nice weekend overall.”

As you turn the corner from California Redwood Signs’ booth, the next stage has plenty more action to offer. Young girls from the McGrath Irish Dancers performed in shifts, dancing short, minute-long numbers for the the passing crowd.

The food court seemed to generate the most traffic throughout most of the day, serving Irish soda bread, cabbage, and fish and chips. Families stopped for food, the Guinness line got longer, and green was seen throughout the sea of people.

Some finished up at City Hall, which held the Irish Tea Cottage. Attendees could get a taste of Ireland and get relief from high temperatures this area hasn’t seen in months.