NEWPORT — Kevin Blair, owner of the new Claddagh Irish Pub that holds its grand opening today at Newport on the Levee, promises a real taste of Ireland and a view unmatched by other Irish pubs in the area.

        “I think people will find that Claddagh Pub is a different experience from the other establishments of the same type locally,” Mr. Blair said. “We have a commitment to being authentic. We want to present an Irish experience in America.”

        The effort at authenticity ranges from the food and drink to the music, the design and construction, and the antique furnishings brought here from Ireland, according to Mr. Blair.

        The menu includes such Irish standards as shepherd's pie; corned beef and cabbage; Irish stew; black mussels steamed in ale; and, of course, fish and chips.

        “We do focus on the food, where some establishments focus more on the bar,” Mr. Blair said.

        The pub even brought in an Irish artist, Fran McCann, to produce wall murals depicting scenes of the Irish countryside.

        Mr. McCann, a noted painter in Ireland who operates a school for artists in the town of Gort near Galway on the western coast, also painted a large map of Ireland.

        Claddagh Irish Pub has a rear wall that is mostly glass, providing a view of downtown Cincinnati and Mount Adams.

        Claddagh Irish Pub joins other restaurants, theaters and shops that have opened at the Levee since September, including Mitchell's Fish Market, Brio Tuscan Grill, Barnes & Noble bookstore, the AMC multiplex theater, Firstar 3—D IMAX theater and the Empire nightclub. GameWorks, which offers food, drink and more than 100 games, opens March 15.

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