Despite the rain, the streets of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa filled up quickly on St. Patrick’s Day with tons of patrons headed into local bars sporting green ensembles from head-to-toe.

Click here for a photo slideshow of St. Patrick’s Day 2012.

Most venues opened around 9 a.m. – some even began the celebration as early as 6 a.m. – and remained open until last call. The Harp Inn in Costa Mesa and Rudy’s Pub & Grill and the Shamrock Bar & Grill in Newport Beach were each filled with St. Paddy’s partiers, living it up with mugs of green beer, crazy green hats and, of course, authentic Irish cuisine and traditional Irish music.

Click here for a photo slideshow of St. Patrick’s Day at Muldoon’s Pub in Newport Beach.

Click here for a photo slideshow of St. Patrick’s Day 2011.

Article and photos by Jenavieve Belair, for OrangeCounty.com

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