Irish Pub Tour — Day 10 — Oklahoma City and a ghost town

Some days on The Terrific Tullamore Tim Tumultuous Tour one has to scratch one’s head and wonder how this was all planned out. It’s Thursday and day 10 of the tour…that must explain it. 

Two days ago, Tim was racing about to four pubs in four little towns in four large states. Today he is tucked in to one location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Certainly, he is grateful for the breather. 

Well, to be correct, there was a second location, but that locale had its Tullamore Tim party last night. So, one listing for today it is.

So, the only stop today is Oklahoma City. Here Tim visits McNellies an establishment that was founded by a Fighting Irish, Notre Dame grad who spent a semester studying in Dublin. When he graduated, he returned to Oklahoma and found some great pubs, but none that matched the character of Ireland…so he set out to build one.

And it has been so successful, he now has four locations in four cities. How the bars were named James E. McNellie’s is uncertain since his name is Elliot. No matter. They are all authentic, which is what counts here. 

It is also one of the few pubs that truly promotes itself as “family friendly”, offering an atmosphere and food for the family to enjoy. 

Call to find out when Tim will arrive. 

James E. McNellie’s Public House

1100 Classen Drive

Oklahoma City, OK 73103

405-601-PINT (7468).

Tim’s other listed stop is simply listed as Shamrock, OK. 

Since I am not able to pinpoint a particular establishment based on this generalized info, please allow me to veer off into a different direction to tell of another place: 

Shamrock, Oklahoma

There actually is a town called Shamrock, Oklahoma. It sits about 13 miles northwest of Depew. It began as a humble little farming community in 1910. Within three years it expanded with a combo general store and post office, a small cafe and a population barely tipping 35 people. 

Then they discovered oil. 

In 1915, the nation swirled in the midst of economic depression and the onslaught of World War I. The Cushing Oil field caused tiny Shamrock to…well, rock! It grew in just two years to 10,000 roustabouts running the vast oil reserves.

With a name like Shamrock and the luck of the Irish with the oil boom, the town took on total Irish character with its Main Street named Tipperary Road and other streets taking on monikers such as Cork, Dublin, Ireland, St. Patrick, and Killarney. Buildings were painted green and the town even acquired a Blarney stone. Its first newspaper was called the Shamrock Brogue. And with a town of oil field rowdies, you know there were plenty of Irish pubs. 

The Cushing field became one of the greatest oil discoveries of the early 1900’s, producing 300,000 barrels a day in 1915. By 1919, the area accounted for 17 percent of U. S. and 3 percent of world production of oil, becoming known as the "pipeline crossroads of the world.” Shamrock, really boomed as it soon supported 23 refineries six miles north of Shamrock.

During Shamrock's oil boom days, the town was a rowdy one with a number of gambling halls, saloons, brothels and tough individuals. However, the bane of the boom town is that all is forever transitory. The next boom, be it in minerals or other commodity, be it next door or at the edge of the earth, the boomers quickly race to try and catch the newest pot of gold at the end of the next rainbow. And only the leprechauns truly laugh in the end. 

Oil equipment work in the Shamrock, Oklahoma area began declining in the mid-1920s. Before long, stores, pool halls, hotels, and other businesses began to close as the nearby oil-field camps were left deserted.  Houses were moved to new locations and business buildings stood closed up. A new railroad held promise, until they decided to run the tracks a mile outside of the berg…too far to be of use. 

By 1930 the population of Shamrock had declined 700 persons. Though the Cushing oilfield continued to produce massive amounts of oil, the production became almost entirely automated and men were no longer needed. Cumulative production in the Cushing oilfield exceeded 450,000,000 barrels by the end of 1979. Shamrock declined into shambles. 

Most guide books today describe the place as a ghost town, although the village is still home to about 100 souls. Many of its buildings sit decaying and vandalized. However, Irish towns, like Irish people are tough. They never say die. In keeping with its old Irish customs, the town still sports an annual St. Patricks Day parade. Seriously.  It’s exceedingly small, but it still carries on. 

The town also continues to keep an open post office and a Grill & Grocery.

If you care to visit someday, Shamrock is six miles south of Drumright, Oklahoma on highway 16. To access from Route 66, travel approximately 3.5 miles west of Depew, then turn right on Creek County Road N3620 for about 9 miles before entering Shamrock.

Irish legends are found everywhere…just look around.