Sounds good to me too RT.
Ummm…where is this pub again?
Tir na nOg info:
218 S Blount St
Raleigh, NC 27601
Tel: (919) 833-7795
I don’t know what the major Raleigh landmarks are, but it’s about 4-5 blocks north of Shaw University, according to Mapquest.
Any help from the locals? Jkayla suggested Tir na nOg, and Polycarp seconded the motion. If either of you (or your respective spouses) can provide better directions, it would be appreciated by all, I’m sure.
Barb and I need to be in Burlington (about an hour west of Raleigh) from ten until two that day, and were hoping to figure out how to get things organized so we wouldn’t miss much of what went on. So 6:00 works just fine for us.
I’m going to do a drive-by of Tir Na Nog tonight and will post detailed directions for people coming from every which way tomorrow.
Well, I’m glad I did a search and found this thread again. I need a good excuse to go out, so count me in! I’ll probably drag my Straight Dope-reading but not message board-posting husband along as well. Now, how will I know who I’m looking for?
To Sigmundex, we live in southeast Durham, just on the western edge of RTP. We’re looking at buying a house soon, so hopefully everyone can give me the low-down on their neighborhoods. 
Sparklo-
Criminy! You’re not, like in Woodlake or Woodcroft or something are you? I live in Woodlake… well, at least for a few more weeks. We (wife, daughter and I) are building a house in Apex and will be shacking up in some apartments off of Hwy. 55 in Apex until it’s done in July. I really do love this neighborhood, though. We have the friendliest neighbors you could ever ask for, so it’ll be sad to leave, but we need some more room!
I’ll be looking forward to meeting you all in person! No, I didn’t say “y’all”, I grew up in New York.
Sigmundex
6pm sounds good for me and Tygr.
Polycarp, if you need help with the directions, let us know. I can type something up. We probably need directions from 40 and from 440 and from the Sheraton (as a lot of people are staying there it sounds like.)
If you think you might drink too much Sigmundex, you could use that to reason a room at the Sheraton. Some of the travelers will be there. If you are bringing your wife, then you guys could make a night of it [sub](nudge nudge)[/sub]. Check RTFirefly’s link above.
*Tygr is lucky, I’m his pregnant designated driver. *
As for the knowing who you are looking for…perhaps Tygr and I can get there a little early and leave a party name with the hostess of…Adams. That seems appropriate. I can call tomorrow and see if they do have a room available or if they need any advanced notice of parties of 20 or more. How is that? Everybody keep bumping this thread up and hopefully we will get more confirmations.
***Yippee! I’m excited. ***
Sparklo asks:
A number of us are either on the SD People Pages that Shayna has been kind enough to maintain, or have been photographed at previous Dopefests, particularly Satan’s Summer Shindig in Raleigh last summer, which Poly, Skulldigger, Smoothie, aenea, Falcon, Cabbage, and I (among others) attended.
Jkayla, if you could call up Tir na nOg and see if their room for private parties is available, or make whatever other arrangements can be made for a party of our size (at 17 definites and 10 maybes, I’d say tell 'em 20+), that would be extremely helpful. Thanks!
Definite:
Polycarp and Skulldigger
Mr. & Mrs. RTFirefly
Mrs. & Mr. C3
Tygr & Jkayla
Cabbage
aenea
Smoothie (& Mr. S.?)
Fretful Porpentine
Falcon
Mrs. & Mr. Hamadryad
Sparklo
Sigmundex
Maybe:
ultress
Borodog
ChiefScott
Jake
JuanDeCuba
YWalker
evilbeth
Mjollnir
Like I said, let me know if I’ve put you in the wrong place.
Barring some prior engagement that my girlfriend tells me about at the last minute, I will indeed see you all at Tir Na Nog, at 6pm, this Saturday.
Okay, the details:
Saturday, March 10, 2001
6:00 PM EST
Tir Na Nog
220 South Blount Street
Raleigh, NC
(Their phone number is (891) 833-7795 if anybody needs it.)
It will be the “Adams” party – appropriate, since we’ll look like the Addams Family reunion! 
Getting to Raleigh:
From Washington/Richmond and points north: Take I-95 south to Petersburg, I-85 south to near Henderson NC, and exit onto US-1 south there. That’s pretty close to expressway until you get well into Raleigh, so it should be the easiest route. Or stay on I-95 south to US-64 west.
From east of Raleigh: US-64, or US-264 which merges into 64, is your best bet.
From south of Raleigh: Take I-95 north to I-40 west and follow I-40 to Raleigh.
From west of Durham, and from south Durham: Take I-40 east to Raleigh.
From north Durham: Take US-70 east to Raleigh.
Okay…Now to get you to Tir Na Nog:
Coming in US-1: US-1 becomes Capital Boulevard. Stay on this, even when US-1 exits onto the Beltline. It will run through mile after mile of commercial establishment, eventually turn into a limited access road again for a short ways, then turn into Dawson Street. Continue going south on Dawson Street about eight blocks. You will come to a small park on your right; make the left turn at the next corner (Martin Street). “Joe’s Place” will be on the far right corner at the intersection. Go down this about seven blocks, crossing Blount Street, and you’ll be at another park with parking places along the edge. Park there and walk back to Blount Street, where you’ll see Tir Na Nog about 1/3 of the way up the block across from the park.
Coming in US-64: It becomes New Bern Avenue. Stay on it even though US-64 exits onto the Beltline. Continue past Wake Medical Center, miscellaneous shopping stuff, housing units and houses, and shortly you’ll find yourself fed onto Edenton Street (New Bern being one-way the other way at that point). Continue down this to Blount Street. (Sorry, no landmarks to suggest. Preceding streets are Bloodworth and Person, if that helps.) Make a left and continue down Blount four or five blocks. As you cross Hargett Street, you’ll see that park on your left, and Tir Na Nog on your right. Park as convenient.
Coming in I-40 (either way): Take this to South Saunders Street exit. (I think it’s exit 298, but can’t remember for sure. Preceded eastbound by Lake Wheeler Road exit, westbound by Hammond Road exit.) Exit there and go right, northbound. Bear right at the V, with most of the traffic, onto McDowell Street, continue ten or twelve blocks until you come to Martin Street. (End of News and Observer building will be across to your right, small city park across to your left.) Make a right and continue down this about seven blocks, crossing Blount Street, and you’ll be at another park with parking places along the edge. Park there and walk back to Blount Street, where you’ll see Tir Na Nog about 1/3 of the way up the block across from the park.
Coming in US-70: This becomes Glenwood Avenue. Stay on it, even when US-70 and NC-50 exit, straight to the end (a T corner). This is Morgan Street; make a left (you’ll immediately be on a bridge across railroad tracks). Pursue this about ten blocks eastbound, where you’ll come to Blount Street. Make a right and continue down Blount four or five blocks. As you cross Hargett Street, you’ll see that park on your left, and Tir Na Nog on your right. Park as convenient.
Getting to the Sheraton: Follow directions above, but go down east/west streets two blocks more or fewer – Salisbury Street parallels Blount Street two blocks west of it, so add two if westbound and lose two if eastbound. The hotel is just south of Davie Street, if I recall correctly, and has parking adjacent. (Davie is one block south of Martin and three blocks south of Morgan.)
Note that almost all downtown Raleigh streets are one-way in the typical grid where adjacent parallel streets run in opposite directions. If you run into any problems, go an extra two blocks, turn, and backtrack.
Some of the block counts above are approximate, and none include the stoplight for Fayetteville Street Mall (a pedestrian mall replacing a downtown street, two blocks west of Blount).
See what happens, RTFirefly, when you can’t type very fast? Poly sneaks in ahead of you.
I called Tir na Nog today and told RTF that I’d post when I got home from work today. But Poly beat me to the punch.
No biggie - his post has more info than I’d be able to pull together. And have it be coherent, anyway.
Poly, when I spoke to the proprieter he told me that the private room took a minimum of 25 people to reserve it. If less than that showed up the restaurant charged the party $300!
I don’t think any of us are wanting to shell out that cash. So are we just eating at tables in the main room? If so, could I lobby for a non-smoking table? The Mrs.-soon-to-be-Mama is trying to avoid smoke.
Tygr - I’d say it looks like tables in the main room, and non-smoking’s fine with me. I guess that’s what you made reservations for, Poly? (Great directions, btw!)
Mrs. F. and I are looking forward to seeing y’all in just a few days!
Works for me. Us smokers can adjourn outside. I hadn’t set reservations yet, but it looks like they’re already apprised of our coming.
This is a genuwine, accept-no-substitutes left-behind-by-the-Left-Behind-Invasion
B U M P
in order to keep this thread up for the folks who may want to be joining us this Saturday.
Rats, y’all! I was hoping to make this shindig, as I live in NC now. But I have to take photographs of colonial churches in Virginny for an upcoming book. This weekend, of course.
Have fun, and count me in on the next 'un.
That’s too bad, elelle - it would have been really great to see you again. 
Soon, hopefully.
When I was speaking to the proprietor I also asked him about musical entertainment. Looks like the live band will take the stage at seven.* We know from experience that it gets kinda LOUD after that.
In light of that, Mrs. Tygr and I are considering going a little early, in case anyone else shows up early, and sitting at the bar. A sorta casual/social/cocktail meet’n’greet time. We’ll prolly get there between 5:30 and 6. And we’ll try to make ourselves noticeable.
I just gotta find my loincloth.
[sub]*They’re actually FROM Ireland.[/sub]
Elelle,
It would have been wonderfull, as well as a lot of fun, to see you again. [sub]Tell them ther’ folks that you have a prior engagement, just remembered! Join us, you know you really want to![/sub]
Tygr - we might be there a little early, too. We’re going to leave Myrtle Beach around 12, check into the hotel, get freshened up, and then start browsing around Raleigh. If we wander over a little early, we’ll see you! I’ll just look for the pregnant woman sitting at the bar!
Well, I’m glad I looked up this thread again. I was thinking for some reason that we were meeting on friday at 6:00. In order to be there on Saturday at 6:00, that means I’d have to bring my newly 4-year-old daughter along, and I don’t know if that’s kosher at Tir na Nog. Guess I’ll give them a call and find out.
Polycarp, I read ‘Left Behind’, it’s sequels, and feel ‘Left Out’, but I’ll still give this thread a
B U M P