THE MOUNT Isa Irish Club is the kind of establishment that can be all things to all people. For a start, you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy the facilities. You can be any nationality at all! For another thing, you can find something to suit within the club whether you’re in the mood to kick back and relax over a coffee or kick up your heels in a nightclub.

Have a break from your hectic holiday schedule with a relaxed meal. Enjoy cafe dining at the Tram Stop Coffee Shop. It boasts a great atmosphere featuring an authentic Melbourne tram where you can sip a cappuccino or cafe latte as you savour a slice of cake, a pastry or a more substantial offering. Or have a meal at the club’s buffet, which is a favourite with families.

The ultimate dining experience within the club is Keane’s Bar and Grill. All dining options are open seven days a week.

If you like the outdoors, relax with a drink on The Deck, which has its own outdoor bar and a plasma TV so you can watch the footy while you relax. In hot weather, a misting machine helps keep you cool, and in winter big gas heaters warm the area.

See if some of the luck of the Irish will rub off on you in the pokie lounge, where a selection of 165 poker machines offer you the chance to go home a little richer. Daily promotions are run at the club, too.

For some of the best night life in town, experience the nightclub scene at the Rish entertainment area. Or enjoy the atmosphere at Kennelly’s Piano Bar. Or have a drink in the Blarney Bar. (It wouldn’t really be Irish without a bit of blarney thrown in!)

Before you leave town, stock up at the Barrel Bottle Shop. You might want to buy one of the weekly specials or browse among the imported and boutique beers or buy wines from the premier wine regions of the world.

So how did there come to be an Irish club in Mount Isa? It’s fitting that the idea for the club was mooted on Ireland’s famous national day. More than 50 years ago, the Irish organised their first official St Patrick’s Day dinner at a hotel in Mount Isa. The night was such a success they decided to make it an annual event, and at the following year’s event they decided they wanted their own clubhouse for the celebration. By the next St Patrick’s Day, they had done it. The Irish folk in Mount Isa - and just about every other nationality - have been enjoying Irish Club hospitality ever since.