Back 2 School Booze: Killians Irish Red at the Blarney Stone

When I set out to write this article I spent some time thinking back to my days as a student at Clark University. I thought about my old crew, and the times we used to have. I thought about my role as the "treasurer" of the 70 Florence Beer Pong Society, and the time my friends threw me a birthday party inside the campus theatre (beer pong tournament complete with a fog machine, lighting scheme, and playlist). When I think of all of those times, and all of the stories I could share with you (as well as the drinks), really one iconic image comes to my mind.

It is dark - at least 10pm, but likely more like 11-11:30. The street is poorly lit on one side, and not at all on the other. This means if you are pre-gaming it (not that I EVER did that), you are likely to trip a couple of times before you make it to your destination. Just there before the corner - the while wall with green and gold letters. The Blarney Stone - AKA "The Blarn."

What is most amusing about this is that when I set out to find at least one snapshot of this off-campus gem, I found that I had none - zip, zilch, zero. I put out an APB on Facebook to see if someone from my misspent youth could pitch in with a pic. No one even answered with a "nope, sorry I don't have one." I went online to see if I could mine one from Google Images. Still nothing.

Then it occurred to me. The Blarn is not the place you admit to being at. It is the place you always go, and always forget. It is the place of good times and bad blackouts. No one has pictures because no one really ever went there. And by not really ever going there, I mean that everyone was there. If everyone is there no one takes pictures. No one takes pictures because what happens at The Blarn, stays at The Blarn.

I myself NEVER went there. It was not the place I went a couple nights a week with my friends. I did not know the bartenders by name, and I they did not know me. It never happened that I would walk into the bar, and before I had waded through the smoky (does it date me that people could still smoke in bars in MA then???) sea of sweaty, beer covered people, that there was, waiting for me, the ultimate Massachusetts bar beverage.

Killian's Irish Red

I never bought this wonder to the college student at $2 a plastic pint. This delightful concoction of malty? hoppy? fruity? - well...let's just say that at this point in my life I just took beer as it was. ...and it was awesome. So was The Blarn (or so I am told - I've never been).

So here's to the place that no one ever went! Here is to all of the Clarkies out there who will raise a glass of something delightful to the $2 pints of Killian's, and think back on the nights they went where no one remembered their name (or took any pictures). I will not name you here (clearly because I cannot remember you), but I am certainly thinking of you as I write this!

And if, for some reason, you are one of my students and you have happened upon this post. Remember two things:
1) do as I say not as I do, and
2) you are welcome to do as I do, because clearly I never did any of this :)

Cheers.