PORTLAND, Ore. — For the 30th consecutive year, Kells Irish Pub in downtown Portland culminated its unique St. Patrick’s Day fundraising tradition by bringing down the "green rain." Throughout the year, patrons throw dollar bills weighted with quarters onto the pub’s wooden ceiling, where the money mysteriously sticks. The accumulated cash is scraped down after the holiday, matched by the pub and a local business partner, and donated to the Providence Center for Medically Fragile Children, raising over $310,000 to date.
The Ceiling’s Sticky Enigma
The fundraiser’s central mystery is how the currency adheres to the ceiling. Owner Lucille McAleese describes it as an "enigma" involving a bill and two quarters, explicitly denying the use of magnets. Structural engineer and patron Ed Quesenberry offered his theory, suggesting bills are wrapped around a coin with a thumbtack, allowing them to stick into the wood like a bulletin board.
A Three-Decade Tradition of Community Giving
This peculiar custom has become a cherished Portland institution. The pub collects the money—which can total several thousand dollars annually—until after the St. Patrick’s Day rush. Kells then matches the total, and a business partner, such as CARR Subaru last year, provides a second match. All proceeds benefit the Providence Center for Medically Fragile Children, turning celebratory fun into sustained charitable impact.
Scraping Down Cash Signals Changing Tastes
Removing the money is a dedicated, all-day process undertaken by volunteers, typically in April. McAleese notes a shift in celebration habits, with the pub now selling an "outrageous amount of nonalcoholic beverages." She views this trend toward temperance positively. For those who do drink, local safe ride programs are promoted to ensure holiday safety.
Expert Analysis: "The mechanics are a fun puzzle, but the real structural success is the community goodwill," explained Ed Quesenberry, a structural engineer and longtime patron. "A simple bar trick has been engineered into a reliable, three-decade-long pipeline of support for a vital children’s center, demonstrating how tradition and charity can be powerfully built together."
Sources
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48219389/nba-st-patricks-day-uniforms-jersey-looking-back
https://signalakron.org/akron-turns-green-as-2026-st-patricks-day-parade-fills-downtown-streets/
