By George P. Hassett

The Tir na nOg, a popular local bar closed since March, is on the comeback trail with a reopening of sorts at a new location. However, the new venture still features the same old atmosphere that first made the bar a cult success.

“Toast the nOg” has combined the staff, music and regular patrons of the old nOg with the underground space of Toast, Sunday through Wednesday since the beginning of August. The fusion started when Elliott, newly unemployed since the nOg’s closing, would walk by a closed Toast on his way to the Independent restaurant. Toast was only open Thursday to Saturday and Elliott thought the open nights could be used as an opportunity to revive the nOg, he said.

‚ÄúPeople missed the nOg,‚Äù he said. nOg devotees were unsatisfied with their new nightlife options, which seemed limited to the standard modern bar atmosphere, he said.   

“A lot of these bars you don’t get anything but Keno and televisions everywhere. No music, nobody talking just a lot of distractions,” he said.

So Elliott said he decided to bring back the old spirit of the nOg – live music, the familiar crowd and no televisions – to the space at Toast. Now, when Toast becomes “Toast the nOg” the television sets are immediately turned off, he said.

Elliott said “Toast the nOg’s”success will be judged by its performance this month.

“September is crucial. If we do well (Toast the nOg) could be permanent,” he said

Tucked away inside its cozy quarters on Somerville Avenue, the original nOg cultivated feelings of community and conviviality among it‚Äôs regulars rarely seen in the days of sports bars loaded with big screen televisions. Elliott discouraged a television in the bar and featured live music each night and twice on Sundays. 

Twelve married couples can trace their first meeting back to the bar, Elliott said. The latest is proof of the nOg’s resurgence; the couple met at the nOg on Somerville Avenue but will be married inside the bar’s new digs at Toast.

nOg patrons were so close that even when the watering hole that brought them together closed for business, they continued to meet up. nOg regular Bill Shelton organized the get togethers and invited the old crowd to his home for the usual nOg fare — live music, food and beer.

Ronan Geary, a bartender at the nOg for 5 years and co-manager of “Toast the nOg,” said the new venture has brought back all the old faces.

“Everyone knows each other here. It’s the kind of place you can go in alone and meet up with some good people,” he said.

Geary said Toast the nOg is built on the principle of the original nOg – good live music.

“Our reputation is good music, we had to keep that going,” he said.

But the space at Toast has brought with it some new pleasures for the old crowd.

‚ÄúPeople are digging the patio, man,‚Äù said Elliott of Toast‚Äôs depressed landing that leads to its underground entrance. ‚ÄúYou can walk away from your drink and have a quick a slug out here.‚Äù