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University of Massachusetts
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| Eat & Drink |
 Harp Irish Pub
163 Sunderland Rd.
The moment you step into The Harp Irish Pub, you feel welcome. The bar has a warm, inviting feel with its old wooden walls and historic Irish decor. "The hallmark of an Irish pub is that it's fun and hospitable," says owner Mark "Harpo" Power.
The Harp as it stands now opened seven years ago. Before, it was Mike’s Westview, a legendary University of Massachusetts Amherst bar that held its alcohol license since Prohibition. When Power took over, he kept the Irish pub tradition alive. "This is the kind of bar that when people find this bar, they go 'This is the bar for me,'" he says.
Specials include $2 pints or $6.50 pitchers of Narragansett, Honey Brown or Molson, and the bar has just the fix for the imminent (and possibly dangerous) drunken munchies. The Harp's Irish nachos consist of waffle fries with cheese and olives with salsa and sour cream – the perfect mix of friend potatoes with melted cheese.
Tuesday is trivia night, complete with a free buffet that includes shepherd’s pie, mussels, French fries and meatballs. Wednesday through Saturday features live bands, and the Harp is where some bands catch their big break – Apollo Sunshine, for example, got its start as The Harp's house band. – Allie Roth
 McMurphy’s Uptown Tavern
37 N Pleasant St.
In a college town like Amherst, it takes the right mix of atmosphere, people and drinks to make a bar truly stand out. One such place is McMurphy's Uptown Tavern, which has managed to carve out a niche for itself on North Pleasant Street in the center of town.
Far from being the only bar in the area to co-op the imagery of a traditional Irish watering hole, McMurphy's has firmly grounded itself in the culture of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and surrounding colleges. With old sports jerseys decorating the walls, high-def TVs and events such as "Kegs and Eggs," this bar is catered toward the student-aged crowd.
Ther'’s a wide selection of beers on tap, ranging from Budweiser and Michelob to McMurphy's self-named amber lager and, of course, the traditional tavern staple, Guiness. Pitchers of Bud come with a voucher for a free slice of pizza from Antonio's next door, and for those looking to really make a night of it (or one you may not remember) there's the Grateful Dead – a sweet and deadly combo of five different alcohols. – Derrick Perkins
 Haymarket Café
188 Main St.
David and Peter Simpson opened the Haymarket coffee shop and used bookstore in downtown Northampton in 1992. Today, they still run this two-floor establishment, named for the historic Haymarket affair in 1886 Chicago – minus the books. Now the store boasts a juice bar with delicious smoothies, hot beverages, and mocha lattes. Baked goods include cookies, muffins, pastries, mini cakes, tarts and other goodies to satisfy any sweet tooth. – Andrea Murray
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This section's contents are produced entirely by student journalists, brought to Billboard.com by UWIRE, the leading provider of student-generated content. UWIRE aims to identify and promote the brightest young content creators and deliver their work to a larger audience via professional media partners such as Billboard.com. Visit UWIRE.com to learn more. |
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- Amherst, Massachusetts
- Athens, Georgia
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University of Massachusetts, Amherst
This town profile was produced entirely by student journalists from The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, the leading news source for the University of Massachusetts community. You can learn more about the individual student contributors by visiting their profiles on UWIRE.com:
Text: Barbara Booras, Ryan McAskill, Skye McIntyre, Stephanie McPherson, Andrea Murray, Ian Nelson, Derrick Perkins, Peter Rizzo, Allie Roth, Heather Waxman, Brian Wood
Photos: Brandon Clinton, Caitlin Coughlan, Stephanie McPherson, Andrea Murray, Michael Phillis, Keith Toffling, Toan Trihn, Michael Weintraub
Video: Directed by Stephanie McPherson; Produced by Rob Fournier; Filmographer, Amanda Lund
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