The Celtic Knot is an ancient symbol crafted using a single interwoven line. It offers no distinct beginning or end.
The design traditionally represents the idea that people continuously weave through each other’s lives and are eternally connected. The reopened Celtic Knot Public House, much like its name, aims to offer a space where lives intersect, co-owner Liz Breslin said.
The Irish pub opened last month on 2022 Central St. in Evanston. Before its Church Street location shut down in 2023, the pub had been a community staple for 18 years.
“We believe in the Public House,” Breslin said. “We believe people want and need a place where you bump into people you know and bump into people you don’t know, and learn from each other.”
The pub serves traditional Irish drinks like Guinness Stout and Magner’s Apple Cider, while offering a cozy environment paired with live Irish music sessions Sundays from 3 to 5 p.m.
Liz Breslin, who runs the business with her husband Patrick Breslin, said the pub had struggled to gain traffic post-pandemic and was initially set to reopen in June. However, due to logistical delays and unanticipated repairs, the reopening was pushed to Dec. 12.
The couple also struggled to acquire loans or hear back from grants, leading them to initiate a GoFundMe campaign to raise $30,000 for renovations. They ended up surpassing their initial goal, raising $36,085 as of Tuesday.
According to Liz Breslin, many of the donations have come from “old friends” and members of their new community.
“That was humbling because this neighborhood, this community, has just really supported us in every way,” Liz Breslin said.
Following the pub’s first month in business, community members have continued to show up for the Breslins. The pub has had a waitlist every single day since its opening, Liz Breslin said. She and Patrick expected excitement at first but didn’t foresee it lasting as long as it has, she said.
The high customer turnout has also encouraged the Breslins to expand their live Irish music sessions to include Tuesdays and Saturdays.
The sessions are usually led by renowned Chicago-born musician John Williams, who has played Irish music across the globe for decades. Williams usually finds Irish music players who can join him during the sessions, but this Sunday was different.
Williams is on tour for the time being, so Bienen junior Liam Kantor led the pub’s Sunday session on guitar, along with musician Evelyn Thom on the violin.
Kantor said he has been coming to the pub every Sunday for the sessions since his freshman year, but this was his first time leading one.
“Having a place to play traditional music is incredibly important, and the Celtic Knot is a great place to do that,” Kantor said.
Michigan native Beth Hogan spends half the year in Ireland and the other half missing it. She finds that coming to the Sunday sessions at the Celtic Knot while sipping a Magner’s Apple Cider transports her right back to the country.
Hogan, whose sister lives in Evanston, visits the pub every time she’s in town. She said the food selections at the pub feel similar to what she’d find in Ireland.
“I’ve always found that — they call it a good ‘craic’ in Ireland — and I find good craic here, at the Celtic Knot,” Hogan said. “Great ‘craic’ means great fun.”
Celtic Knot old-timer Jim Todd has been coming to the pub for 10 years. Todd said his reaction was one of “heartbreak” and “tears” when he originally heard the pub was shutting down. He was one of the contributors to the fundraiser.
“It’s the music, the camaraderie, the community,” Todd said. “It all comes together here.”
Email: mishaoberoi2027@u.northwestern.edu
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