The Irish don't really need a reason to hang out at Shannon Pub on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Tonawanda when there is live music and good food almost every night. But on Wednesday, they had a great reason to be there-the halfway mark to St. Patrick's Day.

With only six months left until the holiday that requires everyone to eat, drink and be merry, local residents kicked the partying into high gear while local musician, Joe Head performed some Irish favorites.

Around the pub, patrons drank from Guinness filled pint glasses and clapped and sang along while Head sang Irish classics including "Danny Boy," "The Unicorn Song," "Wild Rover (No Nay Never)" and "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling." In between songs, Head, seated under a wall filled with Guinness memorabilia, enlightened the crowd with an Irish trivia game, giving out t-shirts for each correct guess.

Kevin Townsell, owner of Shannon Pub, has been celebrating the halfway point for 27 years, but claims St. Patrick's Day is the main event. "For St. Patrick's Day, we bring in continuous music," said Townsell. "We have bands play on St. Patrick's Day and the parade day but it actually turns into a 10 or 11 day celebration."

Even when it isn't St. Patrick's Day, the pub has Irish music about four or five nights a week that local residents can enjoy, including local musicians such as Joe Head and Kevin McCarthy and Irish musicians like Rose and Gordon from County Kerry, Ireland.

"We come for Joe (Head)," said Janet Raidell, a patron from Amherst who was enjoying the music with a table full of women, all of whom won t-shirts in the trivia contest. "We like the singing, fun and drinks." The Halfway to St. Patrick's Day celebration was just an added bonus.