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.
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 in Elegant, 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 Casual St. Patrick’s Day Table & DIY Shamrock Glasses.
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.
Are you ready to party? What will you be serving for St. Patrick’s Day?
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This is wonderful Debbee! Those dishes are fabulous and I like how you perched the little hats in the bowls. The placemats are the cutest and I like placing napkins in the glasses- it draws the eyes up (I do this often)! I should try that casserole dish. As far as I know I have no Irish in me but like you I have a mixed heritage. There is some Welsh on my grandmother’s side so I’m close!
Thanks Liz! You’ll never guess where I discovered those plates…Austin, Texas! We were visiting my parents and we popped into this cute store and there they were. I’ve had them a loooong time and they’ve held up great. Do try the casserole, it’s wonderful.
Loved your table, everything just went together so beautifully!!! About the stew recipe, all the weights and measures are in metric, so sorry I can’t follow them, any chance you could let us know what amounts you really used? Would be most appreciated!
Marilyn, I can’t read metric either! That’s why it’s a good thing I married an engineer. I’ll have to go dig out the recipe and will let you know (hope I wrote down the conversion!).
Found my printed version that I marked up the conversion. It’s odd numbers so I rounded – 18oz shallots, about 1/4c flour, 3.5lbs meat, 2T butter, 1 pint stout, 1 1/4 cups beef stock, 9oz each of mushrooms. The rest are in recognizable measurements.
Love this table scape too! Don’t have any green these days so I did Easter (a bit) and spring, until I change it out (or edit here and there) for Summer stuff. I’m with you, all my ancestors here way before Ellis Island – bad and good – a great many records are just plain gone.
Thanks Gale! I love that with the right linens and centerpiece I am able to elevate my everyday dishes to a new level. As I mentioned in the post, I have been researching ancestors a long time and the Irish records have been a challenge. But, so MUCH more is available online now. And Ancestry.com is pretty good at making connections that every once in awhile pop up as hints. I’m convinced that the gentleman from Ireland is really a distant cousin and because of the DNA test, now I know where in Ireland my great-great-great came from!
Debbee, I am crazy for that china!!!I l Like it even more than the Ralph Lauren Balmoral set I always thought was the nicest I’d seen. The table setting is lovely , and all your little touches always make everything extra special. My grandmother was full Irish, so I have a wee bit in me as well.
Bobbi, I looked up Balmoral and its pretty special, but at Replacements $140 a dinner plate, Ireland Pursuit is $100 a plate less! Eeks! Plus mine aren’t china, so they can be put in microwave and dishwasher (which I do all the time and they have held up great). I’m glad you like the table and dishes. May the road rise to meet you…
Great St. Patrick’s Day Table!! This looks like a wonderful place to gather and discuss your new family findings!!
Thanks Ann! High praise coming from you. I love your blog. We like a lot of the same things and share common interests.
Love your spirited table! I can tell that you’re a true Irish lass — beer glasses for the table! Lol, I put pilsners on my St. Pat’s table too. What I love about tablescaping is mixing what you’ve got in creative new ways.
Well all meals can’t be tea parties right? The beef stew has stout in it, so gotta have some of hubby’s homemade brew with it. I like mixing too, ‘shopping’ my own cupboards and cabinets.
What a perfect table for next week’s St. Patrick’s Day. You’ve collected some pretty wonderful pieces.
Thanks Linda, one of the benefits of aging is accumulation of stuff!
Beautiful table for St. Patrick’s Day. Love the Ireland Pursuit dishes. So perfect for your tablescape and what a cute centerpiece. Lots of thought for designing your table Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Thank you Judy. When I found the leprechaun garden stake unexpectedly (and I knew I couldn’t use it outside in the snow!), it got my creative juices flowing!
Your beautiful tablescape really caught my eye! Thanks so much for sharing it with us at Snickerdoodle!
Thanks Laurie!
Debbee, what a lovely table. The irish Pursuit dishes are so pretty. Love how you dressed your chandy. The placemats area great way to start the plate stack. Love the cute little hats on each plate.
The beef stout stew sounds amazing. Have a great week and thanks for sharing at Dishing & Digging It.
Thanks Linda. Since the Irish Pursuit pattern are my everyday dishes, I get to enjoy them year-round.
I love all of those table settings! St. Patrick’s Day is like Thanksgiving when it comes to looking for decorations of any kind. I am 46% Irish according to Ancestry.com so I was doubly impressed
You’re more of an Irish lassie than I am, so I very much appreciate the compliment on my table settings.
A fun, lovely table – those dishes are just lovely!
Welcome Janet, glad you enjoyed the table. One of my followers saw the table last year, and her husband just bought her set of the Ireland Pursuit dishes for Valentine’s Day! How lucky is she?
Debbee, I’ll be featuring your beautiful table this Saturday at the Snickerdoodle link party!
Roseann, that’s just great — lucky me! Thanks!
Your table is beautiful! St. Patrick’s Day is always a holiday that I enjoy. Your dinnerware is phenomenal. I can’t tell you how long I have lusted after that beautiful set. Maybe I should start small with just one placesetting and go from there. 🙂
Believe it or not, I bought the dishes while visiting my parents a long time ago — in Texas! Another reader’s husband just recently bought her a set for Valentine’s Day he found on Ebay I believe. I need a few replacement pieces but find them very pricey on Replacements, Inc. Your idea to start a place setting at a time is a good one. Or, so you can enjoy using them faster, maybe 4 dinner plates first?
Believe it or not, after I read your blog post I headed to eBay. I found a new condition set of 4 cups and saucers and bought them, so my collection has begun! I really don’t need any more dishes, but I just can’t stop myself. 🙂
Oh Pattie I know the feeling! Hope you enjoy the dishes as much as I have.
Debbie,
I just love your Irish tablescape. I just want to sit down and enjoy it. You have such lovely dishes. I am so jealous. Have a great week. Hugs, Bev
Thanks Bev, it would be lovely to have you sit at my table! Don’t be jealous — being a plate addict is a serious condition LOL! But, in the case of the Ireland Pursuit pattern, they have been my everyday dishes for over 20 years! I’ve been a bit surprised by how many people love them. Just recently, two followers purchased them on eBay.
Debbee, I love this tablescape. Stop by Thursday Favorite Things since you are being featured. Have a great day!
Beverly, I can’t thank you enough for how supportive you are of my blogging — always a thrill to be featured!
Debbee those dishes are fabulous! I love them! Thanks for sharing your festive table!
Thanks Amber! They are my go-to, everyday dishes, but oh so perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day table. I’d love to participate in one of your upcoming blog linkup parties.
I love all of your Irish table settings. It all blends so nicely. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Debra! I’m mostly German or mutt LOL! But, my hubby is mostly Irish so even he and my sons are into the St. Patrick’s Day tables. It’s also partly why Ireland Pursuit are my everyday dishes. Having oatmeal and coffee in them right now.
I just knew when I sat this table setting at the Snickerdoole party that it had to be yours! You have some of the best plates and accompaniments. Love those shamrock placemats.
Joanne, thanks for being so supportive of my blogging. I find that Kohl’s has some of the best placemats, and when on sale and with a coupon, easy on the wallet too.
So cute Debbee! Love your leprechaun!
Thanks Jenna. On an impulse to create more storage space, I posted Lucky in my Etsy shop. To my delight and dismay he sold almost immediately! Missing him at the table this year.
Such lovely everyday dishes Debbee, and how well they look on your Irish table – I guess that’s why they are named Irish Pursuit right? Your St. Pat’s day menu sounds delicious and I hope you’ll post the recipe for your Irish casserole. Yum!
Kim I found https://www.bordbia.ie/recipes/beef-recipes/beef-and-stout-casserole-with-herby-dumplings/ years ago and it’s delicious! Only problem is the measurements are metric so they have to be converted. I’ll have to root around for my printed version where I converted them.