Ireland Pursuit St. Patrick's Day Table

by Debbee | Mar 2, 2018 | Spring, St. Patrick's Day | 45 comments

I’ve set the kitchen table with my Ireland Pursuit dishes for St. Patrick’s Day entertaining. Learn how to make the centerpiece in Quick and Easy Lucky Leprechaun.

People see me with my freckles, light complexion and green eyes and say, “boy, do you look Irish!” Add to that my married name, and they are convinced all my ancestors came over during the potatoes famine. But, I actually have a very ‘sauerkraut-sounding’ maiden name, LOL! I do have two great-grandmothers with Irish names. But, both were born here in Pittsburgh.

The truth is, I’m mostly a ‘mutt.’ All my ancestors were here well before Ellis Island too. Growing up, I never had a sense of any ethnicity. That might have been what partially spurred my interest in genealogy. After my first son was born, I realized I wasn’t able to fill in many names in the family tree. That started my quest, which eventually led to me tracing family lines back at least five to six generations.

I’ve used Family Tree Maker software for a long time, and also Ancestry.com. As a treat to myself for Christmas, I took Ancestry’s DNA test. I have to tell ya, it was pretty darn accurate. That’s why it surprised me to find I am more Irish than anything else! What? So, when we visit Ireland, it won’t be just my husband’s roots we’ll be seeking.

Kiss me, I really am an Irish lassie — that must make my sons practically leprechauns!

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Irish Linens on the Table

For the Ireland Pursuit tablescape I used my go-to, white tablecloth seen most recently in, Set a Presidents Day Table with Liberty Blue. The Irish linen runner was purchased from a local shop (The Celtic Cross).

Emerald green and white buffalo check napkins were a resale shop find (Savvy Fox). Although I only wanted eight, the package included 24 for only $8!

So, I have no excuse for not having a St. Patrick’s Day party one of these days! I’ve tucked the napkins into the tall pilsner glasses that belonged to my in-laws.

They add some height on the table, mirroring Lucky in the centerpiece.

Several years later, and I created a 3 Leaf Clover Fold Tutorial using the same napkins for another holiday setting.

Rectangle placemats don’t work well on a round glass table. Instead, I’ve used quilted, shamrock-shaped placemats (Kohl’s).

Do you see the little bits of greenery and shamrock ornaments dangling from above?Like the dining room inElegant, Easy Shamrock Tablescape, I’ve decorated the kitchen chandelier with a garland of faux greenery and shamrock ornaments.

Pursuing the Green

Featured on the Ireland Pursuit by Kelcraft for Noritake dishes are hunt scenes and animal game.Animals decorate the various pieces; including horses, pheasants, ducks, raccoons and rabbits. I love the forest green bands around the plate and bowl rims.

Ireland Pursuit dishes were made in Ireland between 1988-1998.

Today, they can now be found on eBay, Etsy and Replacements.

In the Hunt

Next, I deconstructed the dish stack, so you can see the pattern on each piece.

Depicted on the dinner plate is a hunt scene, with a period building in the background. Racing across the field are dogs and hunters on horseback.

Around the deep green rim are five medallions showing various game; including a pheasant, raccoon, duck and fox.

Three medallions decorate the luncheon plate rim. In the center, a hunting group is traversing a field.

The dessert bowl (in the upper left) depicts a house with a thatched roof — like the ones we saw in the English Cotswold last year.

On top of the plate stack is a cereal bowl depicting another Irish country home. I’m glad the dishes are microwave safe, because the cereal bowls are used to make a lot of instant oatmeal for breakfast.

For a different look, using the same dish pattern, see .

Leprechaun Party Hats

Sitting inside each bowl, is a mini leprechaun party hat (Michaels). They make fun guest favors.Elastic bands help them easily perch on top of the head. Or, you could turn them upside down and fill with candy.

For the holiday meal, I’ll be making Irish Beef and Stout Casserole with Herby Dumplings. Hubby loves the stew’s thick brown sauce, carrots and mashed potatoes.