SEATTLE - A 150-year-old shillelagh that symbolizes Seattle's Irish heritage has vanished and its owners want it back for a benefit this weekend.
The traditional walking stick is believed to be the oldest shillelagh in the Pacific Northwest. It was brought to Seattle by Irish immigrants in 1859 from an area near Dublin.
The shillelagh was last seen following the 2008 Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Dinner in Seattle. The 2009 dinner is this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Washington Athletic Club.
The three-foot stick is made of blackthorn wood, which is a type of oak, and has a large knot at the base.
Every year, it's passed from one president to the next of Seattle's Society of the Friends of St. Patrick. It is also traditionally carried by the local group's president in Seattle's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the shillelagh is asked to contact the Irish Heritage Club at 206-223-3608 or return the shillelagh to the Washington Athletic Club front desk, no questions asked.
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